FOCUS: S COT L A N D
Issue 3: 2013
INSPIRED BY TIME...VOLUNTEER THE MAGAZINE FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THE THIRD SECTOR IN SCOTLAND
HEALTH & WELLBEING
CITIZENSHIP
Change Lifestyle
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Placement While Studying New Services
Helping Others Getting Recognised Retirement
Give Something Back
Into Employment Career Change
SOCIAL CHANGE
Use Spare Time
Stronger Communities
Peer Support
EMPLOYMENT
Broaden Horizons
VOLUNTEER
New Skills
Bringing Communities Together
Meeting New People Use Your Skills
Change Your Community
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
Volunteer - Choose your destination. Whatever you want to do, wherever you want to go....volunteering can get you there. To book your journey call 0141 941 0886, text the word volunteer free on 80800 or visit www.volunteerscotland.org.uk
FOCUS ON: WHATS INSIDE
Inside...
EDITOR Selina Ross DESIGN Ritchie Marshall POLICY EDITOR Martin Docherty PHOTOGRAPHY Daren Borzynski NEWS TEAM Ritchie Marshall Daren Borzynski David Robertson Urvashi Gulati Liz Kelman Drew Davidson
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INSPIRED BY TIME
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JOBS PARTNERSHIP
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DYSLEXIA AWARENESS
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WELFARE REFORM
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TRUSTEES WEEK
… give an hour to volunteer
… Kibble and The Big Issue in Scotland
… Interview with Sir Jackie Stewart
… information on benefit changes
… recognising the contribution of trustees
ADVERTiSING T: 0141 280 0115 E: ritchie@wdcvs.com PRINT
Stephens & George
Focus Scotland is a service of WDCVS Scottish Charity No: SC032003 T: 0141 941 0886 E: media@wdcvs.com W: www.wdcvs.com
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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
BE INSPIRED BY TIME....VOLUNTEER
Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it!
Scottish MSPs have once again joined forces in raising awareness and promoting community volunteering in 2013. Pledging to support the campaign the MSPs took part in a promotional photoshoot at Holyrood promoting the campaign, which aims to highlight the value of volunteer time and to encourage more people in Scotland to volunteer within their local communities. ALISON MCINNES MSP AREA: WEST OF SCOTLAND Teenage years are a time of high emotions coping with peer pressure, managing anger and disappointment, first loves and first job applications, choosing college courses or leaving home for the first time - but for those leaving care there is often not enough support to navigate safely through all the challenges. So if I had all the time in the world to volunteer, I would offer my time to help support and mentor some vulnerable young people.
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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
CHRISTINE MCKELVIE MSP
AREA: HAMILTON, LARKHALL & STONEHOUSE
MURDO FRASER MSP AREA: MID SCOTLAND & FIFE
All the time in the world to volunteer for me would be to support people with long term conditions like Motor Neurone Disease to live what is left of their life in comfort and safety. With a little bit of fun added in too.
NEIL BIBBY MSP AREA: WEST OF SCOTLAND One of my great passions is the outdoors, and if time allowed I would love the opportunity to lead groups of those who do not normally access the countryside into the hills to experience the wide variety that Scotland has to offer.
DEREK MACKAY MSP AREA: RENFREWSHIRE NORTH & WEST
I am delighted to give my support to Volunteers Week! Volunteers do a tremendous amount of work in our local community, be it at Church coffee mornings right through to putting in the hours and hard graft at CAB offices. Volunteers week is a great opportunity to pause and reflect on the enormous contribution of volunteers the length and breadth of Scotland.
I previously volunteered for a local project with befriending sessions and activity clubs for children and adults with learning and physical disabilities. Demanding as it was, it was one of the most rewarding and worthwhile experiences of my life. Making laws is one thing, but the individual experience of putting a smile on a face by a simply gesture of kindness is unforgettable. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 5
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
Volunteering and Employability: so
I
f you keep track of the volunteering research market you may have noticed some conflicting headlines during the summer.
Whilst the ‘Does it Pay to Volunteer?’ report from the Centre for Economic and Policy Research suggested that volunteering does positively impact on work prospects, the coverage surrounding the publication of the TSRC Working Paper: ‘Does volunteering improve employability? Evidence from the British Household Panel Survey’ seemed to suggest that it does not. Confusing stuff. The TSRC paper’s publication has raised many questions and in some places suspicions about the assumed link between volunteering and employability. People have committed a great deal of time (and money) talking about it, defending it and attacking it. But does it really suggest that volunteering isn’t helpful in employability? Well, this ‘working paper’ is exactly that: it is a paper of 6 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
does it make a difference or not?
ideas being worked up and shared. It’s incomplete and open for discussion, although its release by the TSRC stopped short of emphasising this ‘incompleteness’, and rather, concluded by emphasising ‘the finding’: a ‘woolly link’. Although the limitations of the research are clearly stated in the paper itself - limitations of the data, survey methods, lack of attention to the role of volunteer motivations, the fact that structural barriers to entering the labour market may also apply to volunteer involvement - unfortunately they did not really carry forward into the accompanying press releases. Previous research in 2009 on the same topic and also using the British Household Panel Survey data found volunteering had a positive effect – a fact that is actually cited in the 2013 study. The press releases also missed out a less controversial conclusion from the paper contained on page 19 that ‘volunteering can enhance employability outcomes
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY for some individuals in some contexts’. Now that is interesting, and worth exploring further. So, given this long list of limitations and issues, perhaps there is a question around why the research was funded, developed and published. Why wasn’t the enhancement in some contexts the focus? Why was money, time and expertise spent on using a blunt instrument for a complex issue which produced a high profile headline? How does this help those trying to fund, develop and deliver projects which do enhance employability outcomes for some individuals, in some contexts? We may never be able to answer those questions, but one thing we need to take hold of is the knowledge that good quality evaluations of initiatives which aim ‘enhance employability outcomes for some individuals in some contexts’ may be our most powerful tool to helping develop and strengthen the link between volunteering and employability.
We need to embrace and understand the complexity of individual experiences, theirneeds and how these can be responded to through volunteering. Surely, this would be more appropriate than a blunt statistical tool which treats all volunteers, their aspirations and barriers, their achievements and challenges and their activities as one homogeneous experience. Recent pressure from research funding institutions placed on academia forces them to think more about the impact of their work. In theory this should mean that research is more demand-led – designed to be useful. Perhaps if more time was spent understanding practitioners needs, their contexts and demands research outputs would look very different and be communicated in ways which informed practice rather than providing a convenient headline.
A NIGHT OUTDOORS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE The Rock Trust Sleep Out will see businessmen and women swap the luxury of their comfortable beds for sleeping bags and layers of clothing as they try to stay warm throughout a cold night in Edinburgh. The Rock Trust, a charity that works with 16-25 year olds who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, are urging businesses to join up and take part in this year’s event, which takes place at Festival Square, Edinburgh, on Thursday, 7 November. The aim of the ‘sleep out’ is to raise awareness of the problems faced by homeless people whilst raising funds to provide services which help young people get off the streets and into work. Luckily participants will receive provisions that people on the streets rarely receive such as hot drinks and cup cakes throughout the night and fun activities and games including a silent disco, bungee run, giant jenga, circus skills workshop, a ping pong tournament and music from Loud & Proud Choir and Bobby Nicholson. For more information on how to take part, email admin@rocktrust,org or call us on 0131 557 4059.
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FOCUS ON: ENTERPRISE
PARTNERSHIP GIVES JOB TRAINING TO BIG ISSUE VENDORS
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IG Issue vendors in Scotland are to be given the chance of employment training after a deal was struck between the magazine and one of the country’s biggest social enterprises. The partnership means KibbleWorks - the job creation and training wing of the Paisley-based Kibble Education and Care Centre - will also now distribute the Big Issue magazine, in Scotland. Scots Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney made the announcement at a reception on the eve of the Social Enterprise Policy and Practice annual conference, in Glasgow. As well as delivering 455,000 copies of the magazine a year to drop-off points in towns and cities up and down the country, KibbleWorks will service the Big Issue’s outreach programme, which supports the sellers. KibbleWorks will also work with the Big Issue to create new opportunities for vendors and widen the magazine’s reach across Scotland, so even more unemployed, homeless and vulnerable people can sell the magazine and earn money. 8 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
And the organisation will market the Big Issue to community groups, charities and voluntary organisations, who can raise funds by purchasing magazines at wholesale price to sell on to their members and supporters. This will create work for homeless, unemployed and vulnerable people servicing these groups. Mr Swinney said: “Social enterprise plays a distinct role in meeting Scotland’s employment challenge by helping the most disadvantaged individuals to reach their full potential and play a full role in society. “This is one of the reasons why the Scottish Government is committed to supporting the development of social enterprise across the country as part of an enterprising third sector. “Both Kibble and the Big Issue have already make a significant impact in their own right, but the added value generated by this new collaboration will help transform the lives of many more people.” KibbleWorks general manager, Jim Mullan said: “The right people in society will win out of this deal.
FOCUS ON: ENTERPRISE “They are the 60 young people between the ages of 16 and 24 to whom we presently give employment training and who can now work on the Big Issue contract. And there are also the magazine vendors themselves who can access that training and gain experience of other types of work to help them into the jobs market.
EVERYONE IS INTERESTED IN WHATS UNDER YOUR KILT, ARE YOU?
“Initially, we will take on an extra four trainees and Big Issue vendors will receive their training at KibbleWorks, in Paisley. However, we will quickly set up training opportunities with similar organisations to ourselves throughout Scotland.”
M
ale Cancer Awareness Charity, Cahonas Scotland, have today launched a new campaign and website to highlight the importance of early detection of Testicular Cancer.
Big Issue Chairman, Nigel Kershaw OBE said: “We are hugely enthusiastic to be entering into partnership with Kibble, who share our mission of a ‘hand-up not a hand-out’ and our commitment to create opportunities and work for vulnerable people. “This partnership reinforces our core business objective by providing ongoing support to Big Issue vendors, it helps us to develop training and employment opportunities for vendors and vulnerable people, and finally, offers community and voluntary groups across Scotland an opportunity to generate cash so they become less reliant on grants. “What could be a better partnership? The creation of work lies at the heart of everything we do, and working with Kibble will mean we can create even more opportunity for even more people right across Scotland.” Kibble chief executive, Graham Bell said: “This partnership is a good example of the collaboration needed within the social economy that leads to benefits for all in society. “Kibble is always looking for new ways to give young people the opportunity to play a positive role in society.”
The Tartan Checks campaign carrying the message ‘Everyone else is interested in what’s under your kilt, are you?’ aims to make people aware of the symptoms of Testicular Cancer and encourage them to visit their GP should they discover any irregularities. On launching the campaign, Cahonas Scotland founder and Chair Ritchie Marshall said: ”Cahonas Scotland grew from the recognition that although male cancer awareness is slowly growing, there has been no real Scottish focus on Testicular Cancer awareness. We hope that this campaign will get people talking about Testicular cancer, and encourage men to become more aware of their body and the importance of regular self checks” “More lives can be saved in Scotland through earlier detection. The earlier cancer is diagnosed the greater the chance it can be treated successfully and that is why it is so important that men get to know their bodies and are able to spot the signs of Testicular Cancer early on.” For more information on Testicular Cancer and Cahonas Scotland visit the campaign at www.tartanchecks.org.
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
SCOTTISH FIRST AID WEEK
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n a crisis it is vital that First Aid is delivered with confidence and Scottish First Aid Week is about encouraging people throughout Scotland to learn First Aid skills which could help in an emergency and even save a life.
save a life. It is part of our drive to build Community Resilience across Scotland ahead of 2014 with the ultimate aim of making Scotland more resilient as a community, better equipped to deal with medical emergencies and a safer place to visit.
No one should die because they needed First Aid and didn’t get it. It is surprising just how often knowing even the most basic First Aid can make a difference to a difficult situation. Inevitably it is the public who are first at the scene of an accident and those vital few minutes could make all the difference before the emergency services arrive.
Commenting on the campaign Stuart Callison, CEO at St Andrew’s First Aid emphasised that fact that First Aid saves lives.
For Scottish First Aid Week 2013 we are focusing on a Scottish wide mass-engagement campaign called First Aid Count Me In. The campaign will target the public, voluntary and private sectors and is aimed at encouraging Scots to think about First Aid and when possible learn the basics. The campaign aims to build awareness of the fact that First Aid saves lives and the for the need of individuals and business to gain basic First Aid skills that could 10 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
He said: “It is surprising just how often knowing even the most basic First Aid can make a difference to a difficult situation. And despite the difference it could make, fewer than one in four Scots (23%) are trained in the specialist skills required to administer First Aid. To show support for the campaign Scots can take part in a range of activities - from signing a simple pledge form to organising first aid training in their local area. Despite the difference it could make, fewer than one in four Scots (23%) are trained in the specialist skills required to administer First Aid. During Scottish First Aid Week please take the time to learn First Aid so that together we can save lives.
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FOCUS ON: INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW SIR JACKIE STEWART 12 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
FOCUS ON: INTERVIEW
Racing legend Jackie Stewart succeeded on and off the track despite being dyslexic – indeed, he says, the condition turned out to be an advantage in many ways…
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s sporting heroes go, Sir Jackie Stewart is a man whose name remains synonymous with motor racing thanks not only to his extraordinary accomplishments on the race track but also for his exuberant personality and inspirational nature. The Flying Scotsman, now 74, is a three-time Formula One champion, winning 27 Grand Prix races in his career, but also made his mark as a team manager and as a businessman with long-term associations with companies like Ford, Rolex, Bridgestone and Moet et Chandon.
“Success is often critical to your sense of self-worth and pride. Shooting was what enabled me to gain confidence and that helped me when I started racing. It taught me valuable lessons in mind management.” As a successful businessman, Stewart found his dyslexia forced him to focus his mind and energies in a very concentrated way because he wasn’t clever “in the ordinary sense”. He says: “You sadly can’t think in the same terms as clever folk because educationally you’re so far behind – as a dyslexic you’re not able to read and absorb information the way others can. That forces you to think out of the box. You think of new ways of doing business and getting things done.
He also achieved considerable popularity as an excitable racing broadcaster and commentator who famously compared racing with sex.
“All the dyslexics I know – and there are a lot of them in sport – Muhammad Ali, Steve Redgrave; creative people like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, even Leonardo Da Vinci and Albert Einstein… all dyslexics. Winston Churchill, Richard Branson and Charles Schwab too!
His achievements are all the more remarkable when one considers that he is dyslexic and had to work exceptionally hard to make his way in life. “I obviously knew I was different in school,” Stewart recalls. “I knew that I wasn’t clever. But I wasn’t diagnosed as a dyslexic until I was 42.
So when you have a condition that forces you to think out of the box, you are able to come up with alternative strategies and ideas that wouldn’t necessarily occur to other people. That’s been a major force in my life and has pushed me to try to excel and work very hard to be successful.”
When I married my wife at age 23 I hadn’t the courage to tell her that I couldn’t read or write or spell. I didn’t know the words to the Lord’s Prayer or the words to the Scottish national anthem and to this day I don’t know them.
Back on the track, Stewart survived the deadliest era in motor racing that saw many of his colleagues injured or even killed. In the wake of the sport’s record of fatality, Stewart became a leader in the fight for great track safety, which he regards as one of his greatest legacies in the sport.
I can’t learn them for whatever reason because my mind doesn’t allow it. Raised in that condition, you learn to train yourself to be good at other things.” Before he became known as one of the greatest race car drivers of all time, Stewart excelled at clay shooting and won the European Championship although he missed qualifying for the 1960 Rome Olympics by a single target. “I was good at sports,” he says. “When you find you’re good at something, you grasp at that with both hands so tightly and you’re desperately looking for ways of getting praise because your sense of self-worth has been so badly damaged because you know you’re different from other people.
“I calculated that during certain years I had a two-thirds chance of dying in every race,” he recalls, sombrely. “I can also tell you this: I’ve attended more funerals and memorial services than any man I know.” His best friend, fellow Scot Jim Clark, died on the track in April 1968. “It was one of the worst moments I can remember in racing. It made me angry and frustrated and I was very determined to try to make racing safer and get the tracks to take necessary steps to at least try to protect drivers in some way. It was very difficult to convince the track owners to spend any money on guard rails or medical facilities. That was the dark side of racing in those days.” FOCUS SCOTLAND | 13
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
D
ifficulties with reading and writing are probably the first thing that most people associate with dyslexia but there are other common traits such as poor short-term memory, lack of concentration and disorganisation. Awareness of dyslexia is rising but there is still some misunderstanding of it and the impact it can have on people’s lives. Founded in 1968, Dyslexia Scotland is a memberled organisation with over 600 members from all over Scotland. Their aim is to provide support and information for people with dyslexia and campaign on issues that are important to them. During the last year, their helpline received just over 1900 calls and over half of these were from parents of children who are or might be dyslexic. Many parents who call are understandably concerned about their son or daughter getting appropriate support in school and the majority of calls are about assessments for dyslexia. 14 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
For a variety of reasons some children and adults will choose to have an independent assessment for dyslexia. For adults this might be because they are struggling to understand why they have difficulties at work and want to look at how to overcome this. Others simply want to know whether they have dyslexia. Dyslexia is hereditary and many parents who speak to Dyslexia Scotland about their children tell them that they think they are dyslexic as well. Dyslexia Scotland holds a list of verified assessors – a range of Educational Psychologists and Dyslexia Specialists – who can do this, although there is a fee. Unfortunately there are few free assessments for adults. To help answer questions about dyslexia, they have produced a range of information leaflets, which are available to download free from their website at www. dyslexiascotland.org.uk As well as their helpline, the small staff team at Dyslexia
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY Scotland supports a range of other services for people with dyslexia. Dyslexia Scotland’s network of volunteerled branches across Scotland holds meetings open to the public on a range of subjects around dyslexia. They hold a list of tutors who can provide individual tuition to children and adults. An annual Education Conference for teachers gives them the chance to help spread awareness and good practice. Dyslexia Scotland has a dedicated number of volunteers who help with a huge variety of the things they do. Despite some of the difficulties that people with dyslexia still face, Dyslexia Scotland also work hard to promote the positive side of dyslexia; people are often strong visual thinkers, effective problem solvers and very creative. They are continually uplifted by the children and adults who are part of the organisation and who show us that with the right support having dyslexia needn’t be a barrier to a successful career and fulfilling life. Dyslexia Awareness Week will take place on 4 – 9 November 2013 and there will be a series of events
taking place organised by branches and national office of Dyslexia Scotland. The aim of Dyslexia Awareness Week is to increase understanding around dyslexia and celebrate the many and varied achievements of people with dyslexia across Scotland, as well as looking at the challenges dyslexia can present. Our volunteer led branches will be holding meetings open to the public on a range of topics and many of them will have stalls in branches of WH Smith during the week. Dyslexia Scotland are also pleased to be working in partnership with Edinburgh City Libraries and have a special programme of events taking place in the city during the week including special film screenings and discussion groups. Full details will be posted on Dyslexia Scotland’s website shortly. www.dyslexiascotland.org.uk For all enquiries about dyslexia, they have a Helpline which is open Monday to Friday from 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm. Email helpline@dyslexiascotland.org.uk or call 0844 800 8484.
BBC CHILDREN IN NEED IS BACK! Sir Terry Wogan, Matt Baker, Gary Barlow, Nick Grimshaw, Alex Jones, JLS and Union J have joined forces to kick start this year’s BBC Children in Need Campaign. They are calling on the Great British public to once again get fundraising to help raise millions for disadvantaged children and young people right here in the UK. There are a number of fun ways people can get fundraising for the Charity as demonstrated by Pudsey’s celebrity pals. Union J and Alex Jones are leading the fundraising charge by asking people to ditch their usual 9 to 5 work clothes and wear their #pyjamas and have a PJ party of their own! The official fundraising pack is available for download and is jam packed with fundraising ideas and games to help people with their fundraising efforts. To date the Great British public has raised nearly £690 million for children across the UK and the Charity is calling on people to once again pull out the stops and start baking, running, dancing, pyjama wearing or singing; anything at all to help raise money to change young lives!
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FOCUS ON: FRONTLINE
FACEBOOK FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS & CHARITIES
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FOCUS ON: FRONTLINE
F
a cebook is the most popular social networking tool on the internet, so it makes sense to create a really strong online presence and promote your charity or community group to potentially more than 750 million active users. If your charity has upcoming events, video content or documents, creating a presence on Facebook provides an easy way to upload these types of media and information, without spending the time or resources required for updating your own website.
• •
Customise your URL Target specific user groups for messages
Put simply, a Page is designed to be used as a promotional and engagement tool for organisations like yours. Functionality is appropriate to this, and future functionality will follow the same principle. How to set up a page for your cause
If used correctly, Facebook can be an important tool for charities and non-profit organisations, because it is a fantastic way of connecting with other organisations and people that may not have previously known about you. There are three different statuses on Facebook, each designed for a different purpose: Pages: The “official” Facebook presence of a businesses, organisations, charities & community groups Group: An issue-led rallying point for individuals interested in a common cause Profile: An individual’s presence on Facebook While your charity is likely to focus on common causes, it’s “individuals” that’s the key word with groups. Groups can certainly be a way of people showing support for the aims of your charity – indeed it can be useful to encourage supporters to set up groups around your causes, and to support those groups that already do this. But, if you are creating a presence for your charity on Facebook that will be run and monitored by your team with the purpose of promoting the charity itself, then a Page is the way to go. What advantages are there to setting up a Page? On a Page you can: • • • • • • •
Be found through Google Easily send news & messages to all your “Likers” (supporters/members) at once. Allow your users to know about important dates and events Allow multiple administrators Add video/audio Customise your page Import blog feeds
1. Goto the URL www.facebook.com/pages/create.php 2. Choose the classification for you this is likely to be Cause or Community. This classification is important as to how your page ranks and how relevant it is when people search on facebook. 3. Enter all the information as required that covers your charity, things like logo, website URL and some information in the ‘About’ section. 4. In the section ‘Edit info’ you want to add the information about your charity and more in depth if possible, make sure you add the email address and photos. 5. Spread the word about your charity/community group page using the tools facebook give you, these include invite your friends, tell fans, post updates and promote this page on your website. You are now live, be sure to update the page on a regular basis with engaging content! Most charities and community groups are now using Facebook in one way or another! Facebook is a superb tool for getting real engagement with your community, members & supporters, as the largest social network in the world with more connected users, do it right and your charity or community group could really benefit. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 17
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
GLASGOW 2014.... G eorge Thomson CEO of Volunteer Development Scotland shares with Focus his impression about the 2014 Games legacy for Scotland.
London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games created an exceptional public and media appreciation for the 70,000 gamesmakers volunteers. Suddenly the whole world was alive to the spirit of the volunteer and how important their human connectedness was for the success of the Olympics. Their welcome, friendliness, and helping out visitors, athletes and spectators alike. There was something very special about the way the public appreciated the volunteers and the good will that was generated and reported by the media. A wonderful platform was built for Glasgow 2014. Now it’s Scotland’s turn with the Commonwealth Games and there has been an unprecedented number of over 50,000 people applying for the 15,000 volunteer places. Young people are at the forefront in volunteering for the Games and schools can take a lot of credit for the rise in interest from young people of all backgrounds. Research shows that people are motivated to be part of the Games by; • • •
A once in a lifetime experience New friends and networks Making a difference for their community and Scotland
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• • •
Building skills that will be attractive to employers (especially young volunteers) Being part of a team Making a free choice to come forward and being seen as having given of oneself
So what do I think about the preparations so far? I have to say that I’m enormously impressed by the volunteer development work at Glasgow 2014, and the team approach which has involved many others, including VDS in shaping the volunteer legacy. I recently visited the volunteer centre at Commonwealth House in Glasgow and witnessed first hand the buzz of volunteer activity by the “frontrunners”. The 400 volunteer frontrunner team are meeting the task of recruiting the 15,000 Games Time volunteers with gusto. They’ve created a wonderful community of sharing, supporting each other, socialising, and connecting to other volunteering activities. It’s like the genie is out of the bottle and knows no limits of energy and fun. The spirit of these frontrunners says so much about what we can look forward to, in the Games time volunteers, and the inspired volunteers after the Games. I’ll be closely involved myself in creating new opportunities for the 50,000 who have applied to the Games, and will keep you posted as we get ready for a great Games.
My son seemed quiet, so I asked and he
told me he was sick of it all and felt so far from
okay
he’d thought about suicide
Susan saw her son had problems and asked him about them. Because she did, he’s still alive.
If you can read between the lines, you can save lives.
www.chooselife.net/ask
4396 8/2013
© NHS Health Scotland 2012, 2013
For help and advice for you or the person you’re worried about, call Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87 or Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
THE FACTS OF BENEFIT CHANGES...
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s we all know, the Welfare Reform Act is bringing about the biggest change to the benefits system since it was introduced after the Second World War. Most of the changes started in April 2013 and will affect many people of working age who are on regular benefits or claim benefits from time to time.
The restrictions do not affect tenants of pensionable age. Neither local councils or social housing providers have any discretion to change these rules. For advice about paying rent or housing options, you should contact your landlord. More detailed information is available from your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
So what are the changes? Housing Benefit (from April 2013) Under the new rules, if you live in Council or other social housing and have more bedrooms than the Government says you need, you will lose some of your Housing Benefit (sometimes referred to as the “bedroom tax”). The UK Government’s new restrictions mean you can have one bedroom each for:
Council Tax Reduction (from April 2013) Council Tax Benefit for claimants of all ages has been replaced with a Council Tax Reduction Scheme. Current Council Tax Benefits claimants will not have any reduction in the help they receive from April 2013 to March 2014 as long as their circumstances have not changed.
• • • • • •
Each adult couple Any person aged 16 or over Two children of the same sex under the age of 16 Two children under the age of 10 regardless of their sex Any other child A carer who does not normally live with you (subject to criteria being met)
If you have one extra room you could lose £9 a week on average or £16 a week on average if you have two or more extra rooms. This means that you will have to make up the difference from your other benefits or earnings. 20 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
The Council Tax Reduction Scheme is means–tested with the calculation based on your Council Tax liability, individual or joint weekly income, capital and household circumstances. For more information or enquiries on Council Tax, you should contact your local Council’s Council Tax section. Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants (from April 2013) Crisis Grant and Community Care Grants now come under the new Scottish Welfare Fund which is being managed by local councils. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) (from June 2013) Disability Living Allowance (DLA) has been replaced by a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
HELPING THE POPPY TIN REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL
(PIP) from June 2013. This change affects claimants aged 16 to 64. Everyone currently receiving DLA will have to claim for PIP as there will be no automatic transfer or entitlement. If you feel you need more information or support contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau or the Department for Work and Pension’s Disability and Carers Service on 0800 882 200. Benefit Cap (by the end of September 2013) A Benefit Cap will be introduced to limit the total amount of benefits that working-age households can receive. This will apply to the combined income from out of work benefits, Housing Benefit, Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit. For more information, contact the Department for Work and Pensions on 0845 605 7064 or your local Citizens Advice Bureau. Universal Credit (from October 2013) A new single benefit called Universal Credit will be introduced to replace a range of benefits for workingage claimants: Child Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credits. Benefits for older people Over the new few years there will be changes to means tested benefits which will apply to older people and their dependents. You can expect a range of announcements during 2013 regarding changes to the criteria for Pension Credit entitlement and changes to how Housing and Council Tax benefits are administered to older people. For more information about all aspects of Welfare Reform and how you might be affected, contact your local Citizens Avenue Bureau. Alternatively, for general advice or specific enquiries contact the Pension Service on 0845 606 0265 Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Employment and Support Allowance provides financial help to people who are unable to work because of illness or disability. It also provides personalised support to those who are able to work. It was introduced in October 2008 and replaced Incapacity Benefit (IB) for new claimants with people already receiving IB being gradually being migrated to ESA. This process is likely to be completed by the end of March 2014. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) Discretionary Housing Payments can be used to provide Housing Benefit claimants with additional short-term assistance to meet their ongoing housing costs, or to pay a one-off cost such as rent in advance, a rent deposit, or moving costs. For more information, contact your local council.
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olunteers are incredibly important to Poppyscotland and the Scottish Poppy Appeal. They distribute poppies and tins in their local areas and organise public collections. The money that goes in to the poppy tins is used to help thousands of veterands and their families every year. But did you know that if someone is holding a tin, it can collect up to 50 times more donations than if it is on a shelf or counter? Collector Sandra Urquhart explains why she gives up her time: “I love going out with my tin and interacting with the public. My brother is a soldier and has lost a few friends so I want to give back and help Poppyscotland to help others.” With more donations Poppyscotland can deliver more support but they need more people to hold the tins. Even if it’s just for a few hours, it will make a difference. If you are interested in volunteering with Poppyscotland you can get in touch with them by calling 0141 427 8490 texting volunteer to 81400 or email volunteer@poppyscotland.org.uk FOCUS SCOTLAND | 21
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he Scottish Government recognises the importance re-use and repair have in extending the life of products. When you buy a re-used item, you save the resources and energy it would have taken to make a new one. Zero Waste Scotland is carrying out lots of projects to increase re-use, including pilot trials, evidence building, development of business cases and development of specific projects on priority materials.
Every week, Revolve re-use accredited stores across Scotland sell thousands of re-used goods. All Revolve re-use accredited stores are committed to delivering quality, good value and excellent customer service.
Much of Scotland’s infrastructure for re-use and preparation for re-use is provided by third sector organisations. To ensure these organisations are able to contribute to Scotland’s zero waste aspirations, Zero Waste Scotland will provide them with capacity support and standards development.
Shopping at your local Revolve re-use accredited store provides a real alternative to purchasing new goods. Their goods are re-used, modestly priced, of good quality, clean and safe, with many choices available.
Zero Waste Scotland is helping improve the capacity, professionalism and consistency of the re-use sector through Revolve, Scotland’s national re-use quality standard. Re-use organisations are assessed in areas such as customer care, shop layout, product testing and health and safety. Those who meet the standards receive Revolve accreditation. 22 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
When you see the Revolve logo at your local re-use centre, you can be sure that they are an accredited organisation, committed to delivering quality, good value and excellent customer service. Home from Home (HFH) in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, recently celebrated their well earned Revolve accreditation, and Focus Scotland caught up with manager Michelle Wylie. Michelle told Focus: “We are delighted that Home from
FOCUS ON: FRONTLINE Home has been awarded Revolve accreditation. Since we started working towards gaining the title we have seen a boost in trade as our customer experience is now at a level which rivals high street shopping.” “We believe there is a strong market in providing people with a sustainable alternative, and look forward to building customer confidence in the sector and passing on good practice to other organisations in the re-use sector.” “It was very hard work and our volunteer chairperson Fran Walker put in a huge effort - without her we couldn’t have done it; there was so much admin and paperwork to do. Fran was a key ingredient in us receiving the Revolve accreditation” The main purpose of HFH is to give furniture to local tenants on benefits or a very low income. Every year they support over 400 families and individuals in crisis, by providing them with good condition furniture, white goods, household items and bedding for only the cost of delivery.
from Home to have been awarded the revolve accreditation.” Iain Gulland, Director of Zero Waste Scotland added: “The overall aim of Revolve is to lead and develop a change in Scotland’s re-use organisations, giving them the advice, training and support to develop a business model which provides customers with an experience that is comparable to commercial shops on the high street. “We essentially want to increase the appeal of re-use, develop a sector of customer focused organisations selling high quality products, and increase shoppers’ confidence in buying previously-owned goods. This is vital if we are to make the best possible use of the resources we have. “This is a fantastic example of how funding can help kick start this change in perception of re-use. We’re looking forward to assisting more organisations.”
To support the work of Home from Home there is also a charity shop and furniture store that is easily accessible. “People are very generous with donations, and after we give furniture to those that need it, we can sell on the surplus in our furniture re-use shop. Chest of drawers, wardrobes, books, clothes, etc. The shop is for everyone, bargain hunters to people on a tight budget” Essential for the work of Home from Home is its team of volunteers who share their time and expertise. They assist in the shop and on the vans, gaining work experience and getting the satisfaction of helping others in their community who are in need. Trainees also have the opportunity to work at Home from Home. “If we didn’t have volunteers, we wouldn’t be here. We have a small core of volunteers and they are our biggest asset. There is a small band of 5 regulars although one of them has just taken time off on maternity. We are always looking for volunteers to help out at Home from Home.” “When I started here we had six staff, including a volunteer coordinator, but we were coming to the end of a Big Lottery grant and now we only have three staff. Grants have been drying up although; we have managed to pick up a few small grants from a range of funders.” “It’s a great thing for a small organisation like Home
Donating any items to your local Revolve accredited store is also the most convenient and hassle free. To encourage uptake of re-use services among Scottish householders, Zero Waste Scotland has created Scotland’s National re-use phone line. The National re-use phone line works with community based re-use organisations across Scotland to provide the public with a high level of customer service when donating for re-use. The National re-use phone line accepts a range of bulky items, including furniture in a re-useable condition, soft furnishings such as sofas, mattresses and armchairs that have fire regulation labels attached and electrical items such as washing machines, fridges and cookers in good working order. Many other household items can also be re-used. To donate your unwanted items, or for advice and more information call the National re-use phone line on 0800 0665 820. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 23
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HERITAGE ANYONE?
nterested in applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund, but not too sure what kind of projects can be funded? Here are some case studies which may give you some ideas... The Our Heritage programme provide funding of £10,000 to £100,000 The Young Roots programme funds projects led by young people Paisley People’s Archive received £62,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to create an oral history archive, which will capture the memories of people who worked in Paisley’s threadmill industry and preserve this important heritage for generations to come.
history and also up to date information as the work progresses.
Other outputs from the year-long project will include a short film and an App which will provide a guided walk through the town, identifying mill buildings and other buildings important to the social history of the town and supported by clips from the sound archive. Resource for use by local schools will also be developed. Seniors Together in South Lanarkshire was awarded £47,000 for an initiative called, East Kilbride – A Brighter Future.
Working with heritage professionals from Strathclyde Oral History Centre, the project will enable local volunteers to be trained in oral history recording techniques in order to interview surviving workers and managers of all of the various mills and finishing factories spanning the decades from the 1940’s to the 1990’s when the last mill closed.
This project allowed older people in the area to learn new skills such as conservation, interviewing and data interpretation to gather a picture of what life was like for those settlers who came to the new town of East Kilbride in 1947. The new town itself has reached pensionable age and the Seniors Together group felt that this would be a good time to put down a timeline, gathering the main events and recording experiences and milestones.
The recordings will be digitally stored to form the ‘people’s archive’. A website will be established to provide more information about the background
Since 1947 East Kilbride has grown from a small rural village of 2,500 to become, with a population of over 80,000, the sixth largest town in Scotland.
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THE GREAT PINK BAKE OFF
The development of this “New Town” and the substantial growth and population changes are unique in Scotland’s recent history. East Kilbride was the first and one of the most successful new towns. Included in this project will be the social and economic history of the people, charting the areas growth and the linked development of the local economy. The project will look at the benefits promised and received when the first residents moved in, the growth and changes in population and housing type as the residents demands changed, local industry at the start of the plan and the resultant developments that are now part of the town that exists. It will also include the pre planned outcomes, early impressions and subsequent developments on the planned growth model for East Kilbride as at 1947 compared to what actually happened and the current situation. Galston Bowling Club received £3,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a project that will enable the club to record its origins. It will report on the clubs development, changes and achievements over the decades. The project will culminate in a book, recording the community’s sport and sporting achievements, ‘The History of Galston Bowling Club and Sport in the Town’. Galston Bowling Club has a long history in the town, much of which has been lost or not documented over the years. Similarly many records of the town’s other sports and sporting achievements have not been fully recorded. The Heritage Lottery Fund grant gives the community a unique opportunity to log all its sporting achievements before they are lost completely. The club is therefore looking for the support and help from the town and surrounding community in tracing old or recent sporting heroes, photographs, trophies, newspaper cuttings, medals, programmes, memorabilia not only on the bowling club but on all sport in the town, be it, football, tennis,” handba”, “gowf”, curling, quoits, or any other. They will be pleased to consider including items or articles of interest from any sport that members of the community can bring forward. There is a distinct lack of old sporting photos and memorabilia. The Sharing Heritage programme for funding gives grants of £3,000 to £10,000. Inspired? Contact your local funding support service or contact Heritage Lottery Fund directly on 0131 225 9450 or email on scotland@hlf.org.uk
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op Scottish chefs Mark Greenaway and Neil Forbes are looking to whip up some support to help fund Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s lifesaving research in the first ever Great Pink Bake Off. The two cracking “eggsperts” came together at the New Town Edinburgh Cook School for a morning of chaos and flour in the kitchen - most of which ended up on our chefs - and both Mark and Neil confirmed they were up for the challenge. Neil is the chef and director at one of Edinburgh’s best kept secrets, Cafe St Honoré, and was named the Scottish Restaurant Awards Chef of the Year in 2011. He says: “Sadly, most of us know someone affected by breast cancer. I’m asking for some help and urge you to join the Great Pink Bake Off on Friday 18 October. Do it at work with colleagues, at home with the family or even at school with your pals. Go on, get baking, have fun and save lives!” Mark’s Edinburgh restaurant - Restaurant Mark Greenaway - has 3AA rosettes and recently relocated to North Castle Street. Despite coming out of our photoshoot the worse for wear, his appetite for the Great Pink Bake Off hasn’t been curbed: “The Great Pink Bake Off is a great idea as it’s a really fun and easy way to raise vital funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s life-saving work here in Scotland. We all know someone affected by breast cancer.” FOCUS SCOTLAND | 25
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NEED TO FUNDRAISE?
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eed to fundraise? It can be a daunting prospect for anyone. One of the commonest issues people have is feeling like they are being ‘left holding the baby’ when fundraising is needed. One of the most crucial steps to getting it right is to put together a fundraising committee for your venture – sharing the load and increasing your reach and effectiveness. Here are some key pointers to help you get it right •
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Even if you are leading the fundraising venture, make sure that you start by recruiting at least one other person who is willing to help you lead. This will help in managing the demands that even working with a team can place on you. Choose someone you know well and have worked before with or someone who has fundraised before and will understand quickly what you are looking for Put out as wide a call as you can for other committee members and volunteers – the more the better. You could try newsletters, emails, meeting approaches and sign-up sheets. Casting your net wide like this means that you involve people on a number of small tasks and not make them feel that it will be burdensome to help out Ask people you really want to be involved personally. A direct approach really does work and even if all you get is a conditional reply you
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will have raised awareness Understand and respect that for many people the word committee is terrifying...but that they may still be willing to help with a task. Not everyone needs to attend meetings but there should be a direct contact between volunteers and committee members to make sure that information gets shared and things get ticked off Don’t overcomplicated your fundraising committee meetings but have a structure that works for you and allows you to keep track and record the things you need to Keep meetings regular and just often enough to keep things on track without becoming a chore for everyone attending...including you! Record successes along the way – good ticket sales...good prizes received for a raffle...good response from sponsors etc. Sharing good news keeps everyone involved and better able to handle any of the set backs that can occur If something does look like it’s going a bit awry share it with the committee. A problem shared is a problem solved. Don’t feel you have to do it all yourself.
If you are interested in fundraising and feel you need some support or advice contact our support team on 0141 941 0886 or email info@wdcvs.com.
FirE uP ThE OvEN! Fight breast cancer and raise some dough in Breakthrough’s Great Pink Bake Off Far too many families hear the sad news that someone they love has breast cancer. So put on your pinny, roll up your sleeves, and let’s show breast cancer what we’re made of. Get people together, raise money and join our army of bakers this October for The Great Pink Bake Off.
Get started now with our fab free bake off kit, visit pinkbakeoff.org or phone 08080 100 200
Breakthrough Breast Cancer is a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 1062636) and Scotland (No. SC039058)
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TRUSTEES WEEK
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rustees are the people in charge of a charity. They may be called trustees, directors, board members or committee members, but they are the people with ultimate responsibility for directing the business of charities up and down Scotland. They are often the unsung heroes, playing a vital role, volunteering their time, working together to make the decisions that really matter about the charity’s finances, activities and plans for the future. Trustees’ Week 2013 (4-10 November) is the fourth annual celebration of trusteeship, to highlight the great work that trustees do, and to draw attention to the opportunities for people from all walks of life to get involved and make a real difference - no formal qualifications are usually needed, and many charities need more trustees. People often become trustees to ‘give something back’, but there is a two-way benefit; charities benefit from the range of skills and experience that their trustees bring, but trustees can learn and develop new skills that may open up new opportunities for them, as well as meeting people who share their passion. Most people have skills, knowledge or experience which they can bring to a charity and estimates suggest that almost half of all charities have at least one vacancy on their board. 28 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
Here’s a 10 step guide to recruiting and retaining your trustees... 1. Plan ahead – recruiting a trustee is important to the charities work and direction so take time to plan ahead. Check your constitution for information on the number of trustees, the process for nomination, terms of office etc 2. Think about the skills you need – you should regularly review the range of current skills and experience within your board or committee and identify the gaps and how you could fill them 3. Succession planning – if you know there are trustees who will be stepping down or retiring soon, think now about how you will replace them 4. Diversity matters – you should always try to ensure that your trustees are broadly representative of the community, users and members your organisation serves 5. Information is key – develop an information pack to give to potential trustees including a role description, an outline of the
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY organisation and its priorities and how to apply 6. Stand out from the crowd – think about where the people you want to attract are and how best to catch their attention 7. Recruiting trustees – try to think of recruiting trustees in the same way as other recruitment processes...how will you shortlist? Who will interview and how will you choose? Will you have a shadow period? 8. Induct trustees – new trustees should feel welcome and informed. Making sure your new trustee gets to visit the organisation and meet everyone they need to will help them be an effective trustee more quickly. You should think through a full induction programme for the new trustee perhaps over a 3-6 month period, this will help them to settle in without feeling too overwhelmed! A good induction should cover: • • • • • • • • • • • •
your governing documents your latest annual report and accounts frequency/timings of board meetings and committees minutes of previous year’s board meetings list of current trustees organisational structure background history of the organisation the current organisation strategy/operating plans applicable policy documents including expenses policy, conflict of interest declaration, volunteering policy etc summary of funding and projects outline of main relationships with other organisations information about trustee training and development
9. Board review – every board of trustees should review their own performance at least once a year. This will not only help the organisation to function better but will help trustees to feel valued members of the organisation 10. Say thank you – whether its during Volunteers Week in June or Trustees Week in November always remember to recognise the work trustees do. If you are interested in finding out about how you can become a trustee, contact your local volunteer centre service or check out the available opportunities on volunteerscotland.org.uk
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oung Scot, the national youth information and citizenship charity for Scotland, is celebrating reaching the milestone of half million young people who have the Young Scot National Entitlement Card, Scotland’s acclaimed Youth Smartcard. Young Scot along with Aileen Campbell MSP, Minister for Children and Young People, will run a school assembly at St Ambrose High School, Coatbridge, to tell over 200 S1 pupils who have just been issued their card about the wide range of cardholder benefits. A partnership between Young Scot, the Scottish Government, the Improvement Service and all 32 local authorities, the card is a multi-application smartcard giving young people access to a range of benefits which support them to lead active, positive lifestyles. From the age of 11 – 25, young people grow up with the card and can use it to claim over 1,500 discounts for services such as gyms, driving lessons and travel. It also gives young people access to a host of other benefits including cashless catering, leisure and library services and e-voting. The Minister for Children and Young People, Aileen Campbell, says: The Young Scot Card doesn’t just offer young people a variety of discounts, it opens up opportunities for them through travel deals, through e-voting and the link to all of the advice and support that Young Scot provides. “Reaching the half a million mark is a well-deserved reward for the hard work that the Young Scot team - and often the card holders themselves - have put into making partnerships across the country to offer young people the best possible service that has rightfully been recognised as the best Youth Card in Europe.” FOCUS SCOTLAND | 29
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SALTIRE AWARDS
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altire Awards, the national volunteering recognition scheme for young people aged 12-25 years was formally recognised by the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, at an evening reception in Edinburgh Castle on the 4th of June 2013.
Held jointly to mark the achievements of Saltire Award holders and the Scottish winners of the Queens Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award, the evening saw almost 200 people gather in the Great Hall, welcomed by bagpipe players, for an evening of networking and sharing experiences. Attending from West Dunbartonshire were Gemma Berry, Marc Graham and Steven Murray. Gemma, Saltire Lead for West Dunbartonshire CVS said “It was a great opportunity to meet other Saltire leads and award winners from across Scotland and have the commitment and contribution of young people’s volunteering recognised in such a high profile way.
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Although we were a bit disappointed not to meet the First Minister up close!” Marc and Steven are both Saltire Award holders with 50 and 200 hours respectively and both enjoyed the experience. “It was great to achieve the award for my volunteering and being asked along to this event has just been an added bonus” added Steven.
Saltire Awards are designed to formally recognise the commitment and contribution of young people volunteering in Scotland. Supported by the Scottish Government, Saltire Awards are split in to four sections - The Challenge, The Approach, The Ascent and The Summit and achievement is recognised in the form of Saltire Award certificates and Young Scot reward points. If you are interested in knowing more contact Gemma on 0141 941 0886 or email info@wdcvs.com.
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By age 4 their brains are almost fully developed. What kind of driver are you teaching your child to be?
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COMMUNITY INVESTMENT GROUP AWARDS new partnership working approach has seen 6 grassroots organisations benefit from support from the Community Investment Group of HM Naval Base Clyde.
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around 18 months ago to help raise the issues affecting kinship carers in the area and will use the money would be used to fund a Christmas party for members and their families.
The group have raised over £1200 in the last few months and have worked closely with West Dunbartonshire CHCP and West Dunbartonshire CVS to help ensure that the donations made their way to small groups where the money would make a real difference. The six groups who each received a cheque for £200 were:
Clydebank Sea Cadets will use the money to help fund the transport costs of putting 4 local young people onto the annual national training expedition attending by young people from all over Scotland. The venture starts in Oban and the group plan to transport the 4 young people together and then return a week later to collect them.
Alexandria Armed Veterans Association, a small local veterans group, who will use the money to meet the costs of developing the small garden area and keeping up with the ongoing maintenance of the hall they – all of the work is undertaken by the veterans themselves.
Alexandria Relaxation and Therapy Group meet weekly and offers participants the opportunity to try different stress and relaxation therapies in a supported environment and will use the money to fund the costs of additional tutor hours.
The BIEN (Brain Injury Experience Network) Group will use the funds to re-activate the allotment plot they hold at Levengrove Park.
Dalmonach Mother and Toddlers have recently had to cut their weekly sessions down to 1 per week as they could not meet the cost of the hall charges. The grant will allow them to increase the sessions again and attract more parents and toddlers to join.
Kinship Carers West Dunbartonshire, came into being 32 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
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FURTHER FUNDING TO TACKLE SECTARIANISM IN COMMUNITIES
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roups and organisations committed to tackling sectarianism at its grassroots are to receive more than £2 million.
The latest funding announcement is part of the Government’s pledge to invest £9 million over three years in a range of projects aimed at challenging and changing attitudes to sectarianism at a local level. The funding has been awarded following a robust assessment process supported by the independent Advisory Group on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland, set up to explore the issue of sectarianism and advise Scottish Ministers. The 18 projects across Scotland include Nil By Mouth’s work to tackle sectarianism in the workplace, Royston Youth Action’s ‘Respect for Everyone’, Supporters Direct’s ‘The Colour of Our Scarves’ and Faith in Community Scotland’s ‘Tackling Sectarianism Together.’ The funding was unveiled today (Monday 16 September) by Community Safety Minister, Roseanna Cunningham at the launch of Youth Scotland’s ‘Stand up to Sectarianism Phase 2’ at the Albany Centre, Glasgow. The Group recently received £136,768 to enable it to tackle sectarianism through peer education. Ms Cunningham said: “We believe the solution to ending the scourge of sectarianism in society lies in and with our communities.
Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland and through the excellent work of groups like Youth Scotland, whose work is already making our communities safer. “We are confident the projects we are supporting today will also tackle sectarianism at its roots helping to finally consign such outdated prejudices to history.” All of the projects will be subject to robust monitoring procedures and evaluation to measure the difference it is making to communities. Engender, whose project ARTiculate will work with women in eight Scottish communities, welcomed the funding. Convener Dr Marsha Scott said: “This will make it possible for us to identify the links between gender and the experience of sectarianism in communities. “We hope to bring women’s perspectives to this challenging area of work.” Ng homes Chief Executive Robert Docherty added: “We are delighted to receive funding from the Scottish Government to support the Community Football Partnership in the North of Glasgow. “The programme will use football as a way to positively change attitudes and behaviour towards sectarianism, breaking down barriers and encouraging greater understanding within and across our diverse communities.”
“This has been borne out by the Advisory Group on FOCUS SCOTLAND | 33
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1000 HUTS.... L
aunched by Reforesting Scotland in 2011, The Thousand Huts Campaign sets out to celebrate, expand, protect and enjoy the use of huts in Scotland for living, working and relaxing in. The campaign aims to celebrate the cultural heritage of hutting communities, reflecting the physical and mental health as well as spiritual and emotional wellbeing having access to a hut brings and supports calls for changes to the planning system to support hut building. The Thousand Huts campaign centres on the idea of the hut as a place, an experience and something for all to enjoy. In Scotland we have a modest historic tradition of hutting, whilst in Nordic nations the hutting tradition is well established as a way of life. In Norway more than half the population has access to a hytte (hut) where they can escape the city and get closer to nature. Meanwhile, one in 12 Swedes, one in 18 Finns and one in 33 Danes can claim a rural bolthole, with similar traditions in Russia and the Czech Republic. Lakeside cabins are also popular in Canada and the northern states of the US. However, in Scotland 10 years ago a study showed there were just 700 holiday huts or DIY cabins, for a population of five million. In Scotland, hutting is often associated with the working class movement which developed in the early 20th Century when small holiday huts were built on land close to Scotland’s main industrial cities. The best known of these sites is at Carbeth in Stirlingshire, where the hutters recently made history by succeeding to buy the land on which the huts are sited. However you will see dotted across Scotland remnants of a strong working class hutting movement. Scottish Hutters can be characterised as belonging to a number of groups 34 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
- traditional hutters, individual hutters often seeking a quiet retreat, alternative homes and allotmenteers. The 1000 Huts campaign is looking to promote Huts and Hutting encompassing the building and enjoyment of simple wooden structures (although other building methods have been used) for living, working and recreation in the countryside. They also highlight that building huts using local timber can revive skills that rural communities once took for granted and strengthened community resilience. The intention to achieve this is to lobby for a change in culture and attitude and reform of the law so as to permit those who wish to build huts and pursue hutting to do so freely and within the law. The Scottish Government for the first time has proposed that huts be included in the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP). Section 69 of the draft for this policy states that development plans should set out a spatial strategy which makes provision for housing and other residential accommodation in the countryside, taking account of the development needs of communities and the demand for leisure accommodation including huts for temporary recreational occupation. Hutters believe the benefits in creating an environment of huts fits with many key Scottish Government policies, such as health, sustainable tourism and rural development. Campaigners feel that access to huts could make a real difference to many of the social and environmental challenges across the voluntary sector. If you are interested in knowing more about the campaign visit the website www.thousandhuts.org for more information.
For someone with a mental health problem how you deal with it makes a difference
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BE INSPIRED BY TIME ...volunteer time is free, but it’s priceless. you can’t own it, but you can use it! #BeInspiredByTime