Focus Scotland June 2012 by WDCVS

FOCUS: S COT L A N D

Issue 2: 2012

VOLUNTEERS WEEK 2012.. ....… CELEBRATING…CONTRIBUTING…CHANGING THE MAGAZINE FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THE THIRD SECTOR IN SCOTLAND

be part of creating a cleaner, greener scotland.

letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go greener together. www.greenerscotland.org

FOCUS ON: WHATS INSIDE

Inside...

EDITOR Selina Ross DESIGN Ritchie Marshall POLICY EDITOR Martin Docherty PHOTOGRAPHY Daren Borzynski NEWS TEAM David Robertson Urvashi Gulati Liz Kelman Tony Connelly Shona Thomas Drew Davidson

SALTIRE AWARDS

WRONG TROUSERS DAY

MEET THE FUNDERS

VOLUNTEERS WEEK 2012

OXFAM WATER WEEK

…New recognition scheme for volunteers aged 12-25 years

…Wallace and Gromit do their thing for …..

…Interview with May Craig, Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland

MSP’s give their thoughts on the role of volunteering in Scotland

...celebrating the work of Oxfam

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

FOCUS SCOTLAND | 3

Recycle What? FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

RECYCLE WEEK 18-24 JUNE 2012- RECYCLING HOME AND AWAY

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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY What do we know about Recycling? Recycling means using waste materials to manufacture new products, materials like cans, glass, paper and textiles are valuable resources that can be used to make new products. There are all sorts of ways to recycle. Why should we recycle? Recycling is a good thing to do because it saves the earth’s natural resources, it also saves energy and reduces the risk of climate change and reduces the need for landfill sites. In what way can I recycle? Most council’s run recycling centers and recycling points as well as the charity donation banks and drop off points for items such as Mobile phones and ink cartridges. Over 80% of Scottish households have access to the Kerbside Recycling Scheme. Each local authority provides a service for uplifting bulky household items, things such as furniture, fridges and washing machines. Uplifts can be requested but may involve a charge, there may be charities within the local authority who gather quality items for reuse. What happens with the recycled materials? At the Mixed Recycling Facility (MRF) all the mixed recycling is sorted and separated into different types of material, this is done either by hand, machine or both before being sent to manufacturers in order to be made into new products. Once the recycled material is sorted it becomes a valuable commodity in the worldwide market. We have many recycling plants in the UK and they reprocess millions of tonnes of material every year. • • •

All UK manufactured newsprint is made from 100% recycled Paper. All Organic (garden & kitchen) waste is collected and recycled locally. 80% of the glass collected for recycling is used in the UK with the majority of it used to make new glass bottles and jars.

Countries like China are prepared to pay high prices for recyclable material such as waste plastic mainly because they don’t have a readily available supply of the raw materials (no indigenous forests or oil supplies) and they have a large manufacturing industry that requires these products. Exporting UK

recyclables is a better environmental option than using virgin raw materials because: • • • •

Minimises the need to use natural resources such as oil Using recycled materials significantly reduces energy use and carbon emissions through manufacturing. Transport impacts are reduced as the materials are transported back to China in the container ships which bring goods to the UK Reduction in landfill

The following table highlights the amount of recycling that we currently do in the UK and the percentage of recyclable material that is sent abroad to be recycled. As you can see the UK is slightly ahead in the figures where recycling paper is concerned, we are doing really well where glass and wood are concerned but we still export 2/3 of our plastic recycling abroad What Can We Do About It? It can be something simple, a few things that manufacturers have done so that the consumer doesn’t have to. Here are a few things to consider when you are making your choices when shopping: • • •

Buy concentrated Use the right amount Refill it

Recycling doesn’t have to be a massive change to your lifestyle, it can be as simple as having an extra bin and putting the items that can be recycled in that rather than alongside your kitchen waste. Most Local authorities are encouraging people to recycle, if they are providing the means then surely it is a simple process to recycle knowing that you are doing your bit for the planet without actually having to change your lifestyle too much. On a global scale it is a little concerning that we export 2/3 of our plastic to another country, why is it exported, is it cost affective to send it to China rather than develop our own recycling facilities to deal with plastic, does selling the materials impact on the UK’s GDP? Recycling is an easy activity to do, most organisations are making it easier to do, so why not participate, the planet needs it and you don’t have to go out of your way, simple. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 5

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

Edinburgh does the Moonwalk for Breast Cancer Charities

n the Saturday 9th of June 12,000 walkers displaying bras of all colours and shapes will walk through the night together in support of breast cancer charities. This walk is the only one in the world that starts at midnight and whose participants, men and women, all walk through the night wearing bras. The history of the walk is a fascinating one, and is a story of inspiration for ordinary people who want to raise money for charity and have fun whilst doing it! Walk the Walk have been running events such as the Moonwalk ever since thirteen women lead by business owner Nina Barough, walked the New York marathon in decorated bras to raise money for breast cancer. Although the intention here was just to raise money whilst having fun, the group raised £25,000, inspiring others to call Nina asking to participate in her next ‘event’. In Spring 1998, following Nina’s own fight with breast cancer, a group of walkers decided to walk for breast cancer in the London Marathon – however 25 walkers found they could not get places for the 6 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

event. Nina decided to start a one-off walk for these girls so that they could feel part of the event and not to waste their fundraising potential, and so the decision was made to start walking at midnight, thus finishing at 7am on the morning of the London Marathon in Trafalgar Square...and this became known as the first Moonwalk. By November 1998 so many people wanted to ‘Walk the Walk’ that Nina was able set up her own charity and gain enough sponsors to fund events such as the Moonwalk whose walkers have been going strong ever since. Now the Moonwalk is a major annual event, and its organisers have high hopes for the 9th of June! Walk the Walk helps to promote a healthier lifestyle through fitness and awareness, whilst raising money for important causes and remembering to have fun. If you’d like to get involved contact the Volunteer Team on 01483 741430 or email volunteers@ walkthewalk.org. Find information on all Walk the Walk’s events at www.walkthewalk.org.

Maxwell lynas

Volunteer Journalist

STAR APPEAL

Rolling out the red carpet for volunteers throughout Scotland If you would like to be a star in your community visit www.volunteerscotland.org .uk contact us on 0141 941 0886 or text Volunteer to 80800

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

YOUTH VOLUNTEERING... T

he outgoing MV Awards provided recognition for young volunteers aged 16-25 years old with awards being presented after reaching the milestones of 50 and 100 hours of volunteering. If a volunteer continued their volunteering and reached the milestone of 200 hours they received the special Award of Excellence. All of the MV Awards are endorsed by the Scottish Government. The process for registering for MV was simple; all the organisation had to do was record when the volunteer turned up to do their volunteering. It was a simple system and the volunteers received recognition for their time which was a useful indication to future employers that they had donated their time to help a worthy cause. On the 1st April 2012, MV has been replaced by the new Saltire awards. The Saltire Awards are the new Scottish awards designed to formally recognise the commitment and contribution of the volunteering that young people do. As with MV the Saltire Awards are supported by the Scottish Government, they enable young volunteers to record the skills, experience and learning gained through successful volunteering placements in school or provided by local and national voluntary agencies. The Saltire Awards have a few differences from MV. Eligibility is now for anyone aged 12-25 years and there are now a range of categories of activity spanning â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Challenge, Approach, Ascent, Summit and a new 500 hour Award milestone. The biggest change is lowering the eligibility age 8 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

limit, previously with MV, you had to be 16 years old to be eligible. Saltire reducing the age to 12 means that a lot of the volunteering that is done in school or within a uniformed brigade or even as part of an independent youth group all count towards the award. There are a lot of similarities to MV with the Saltire Awards, both are designed to encourage and enable youth volunteering and dovetail neatly into the four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence as participants will develop their abilities through volunteering to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. The Saltire Journal is the resource provided to facilitate recording of skills and learning achieved, in addition the participants will be required to complete a self-evaluation (Footprints), which directly links their responses to Curriculum for Excellence. The Awards fit neatly into the four capacities of the Curriculum for Excellence. There is clear evidence from research and studies that volunteering does support young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. The Saltire Awards are split in to four sections - The Challenge, The Approach, The Ascent and The Summit and achievement is recognised in the form

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING of Saltire Award certificates and Young Scot reward points. The Challenge: The Challenge is a great way to start your volunteering journey, if you want to organise a no strings attached event and see if volunteering is for you. It is simple to do all you need is a group of friends, classmates or even join a group that is already established and plan your event, it is a great way of building your team working skills and it can be a laugh. A Saltire Challenge normally consists of a days worth of volunteering, there are many activities that can be undertaken, shore clean ups, gardening projects and regeneration projects. Volunteering hours when achieving the Challenge Certificate are able to be used towards either the Appoach or Ascent Awards. The Approach: Where the Challenge was a way of starting volunteering the Approach is a way of undertaking more regular activity, you have a greater range of activities and the choice on what to do is down to the volunteer. A regular commitment allows the volunteer to find out what their skills and strengths are, it also gives an insight into activities that may not be for you. The Approach certificate milestones require the volunteer to complete 10 and 25 hours of volunteering. The Ascent: The Ascent is for those people who want to make a longer commitment to volunteering, where they are looking to develop their skills and strengths and have their achievements recorded. The Ascent has similar milestones to the MV with the addition of the new 500 hours certificate; certificates are awarded when the volunteer reaches 50, 100, 200 and 500 hours of volunteering. The Summit: The Summit is the award for an outstanding contribution to volunteering; it is only awarded to those who have completed the 500 hours Ascent. The volunteer must be nominated by the organisation they donate their time to. Each nomination goes before a panel of Saltire Ambassadors and it is they who decide who merits the award. MV is no more, Saltire is the new award for young people volunteering in Scotland, it is fitting in this year of the Olympics that MV has passed the torch to Saltire to continue the race. If you are interested in the Saltire Awards in West Dunbartonshire, contact WDCVS on 0141 941 0886 or email: gemma@wdcvs.com

THISTLE FOUNDATION – ANNOUNCEMENT OF VETERAN’S FUNDING

histle, an established Scottish charity that supports people with disabilities and health conditions to lead full lives welcomed Keith Brown, Minister for Housing on 24th April 2012 to announce £10,000 of funding to support its services for veterans. The funding, which is part of the Scottish Veterans Fund, is to support Thistle’s award-winning Lifestyle Management Course for Veterans. Diana Noel-Paton, Chief Executive of Thistle Foundation commented: “we’re delighted to welcome the minister and to receive this funding. We started as a charity supporting wounded soldiers after World War II, so it’s fantastic that our current work with veterans not only gives us a chance to link back to our roots, but also is being recognised as relevant and much needed”. Mr. Brown also had the opportunity to meet Ross Swinton and Alex Lamont, two veterans who have been through Thistle’s course already. Alex, who served in Northern Ireland and The Gulf War, said “I don’t know where I’d be without Thistle Foundation. There are a lot of former service personnel out there needing help and I just hope more of them can get to hear about this course ‘cos it’s changed my life!” The minister commented: “it’s an honour to meet these men who have served for their country and who are benefitting from the help of Thistle Foundatio.” Thistle Foundation was founded in 1944 by Sir Francis and Lady Isabella Tudsbery in memory of their son Robin Tudsbery, a lieutenant in the Royal Horse Guards (Blues), who died in the last days of World War II. .

FOCUS SCOTLAND | 9

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

DIRECTING YOUR OWN CARE?

or many years campaigners have been seeking to have a system of care in which individuals have greater control over the providers of their care and the types of provision and a bill presently before the Scottish Parliament is trying to implement this in to law, enabling individuals and their families to be central to the care the require. The Scottish Government, Self-directed Support Strategy (November 2010) noted this, stating that: “Selfdirected support is a term that describes the ways in which individuals and families can have informed choice about the way support is provided to them. It includes a range of options for exercising those choices…. available resources can be used so people can have greater levels of control over how their support needs are met, and by whom.” What’s been the main driver behind this radical change in direction? For some it is the lobbying of many individuals and organisations over many years to improve the level of participation of the individual in their care; for others it is the awareness that in the years ahead demographic change, reductions in budgets and rising expectations from citizens present significant challenges for Scotland’s health and social care sector, and self directed support is a part of reducing that impact. 10 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

In truth, both parts have played a crucial role in bringing about this seismic shift, with the present financial crisis concentrating minds on how best to meet the challenges that we will face in the years ahead as we grow older, with a proportionally older population that lives longer and will need longer care provision. What difference does self directed support make? According to some commentators a considerable amount of research shows a clear link to individuals experiencing a better quality of life and direct payments. “Individuals can enhance their health and wellbeing through exercising greater choice and control over their support. Self-directed support can encourage and sustain independent living (the principle that all disabled people having the same freedom, choice, dignity and control as other citizens at home, a work and in the community) foster better engagement with the community and provide a greater sense of citizenship. In addition, unpaid carers can benefit indirectly when the person they care for has greater choice and control over their support. A study completed by Stirling University on behalf of the

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY Scottish Government noted that individual budgets were found to positively impact on carers’ quality of life.”.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE SCOTLAND ANNOUNCES NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE

“Local authorities and providers have a close interest in delivering high-quality services which respond to and meet individual needs. Self-directed support enables people to have the support that they want, and when and where they want it. It focuses on maximising individual choice and control, eliminating waste and providing a system that is accessible and better suited to the needs of the whole person.” “For the public sector as a whole good quality, well targeted support can help to reduce pressure on the health sector and those parts of social care services which deal with crisis or emergency assistance. This supports Scottish Government targets for the NHS, and fits with the aims to stay healthier longer and to tackle health inequality.” With such a major change in legislation, the Scottish Government intends to monitor compliance with the Bill through a number of existing or soon to be established measures. At present the Scottish Government is reviewing that data collected on direct payments and is considering improvements to the types of categories and offer a wider range of self-directed support options. The Scottish Government is undertaking a review of the statistics collected on direct payments, with a view to amending the categories of information and to cover a wider range of self-directed support options. Implementation of the self-directed support strategy will be subject to ongoing monitoring and review through the activity of the national Self-directed Support Implementation Group. This group includes Scottish Government officials, the Association of Directors of Social Work, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, user-led organisations and provider-led organisations. In addition to the review of data collection, implementation will look to shift to measuring improved outcomes for people directing their support. This will be achieved through a number of routes including the Community Care Outcomes framework, the work of the Care Inspectorate and specific evaluation of progress in co-production with citizens who require support. For more information on self directed support visit the Scottish Government website: http://www. selfdirectedsupportscotland.org.uk

ocial Enterprise Scotland has announced that the new permanent Chief Executive of the umbrella body will be Fraser Kelly. Laurie Russell, Chair of Social Enterprise Scotland, told FOCUS Scotland: “I am delighted that Fraser Kelly has been appointed by the Board of Social Enterprise Scotland to the post of Chief Executive, following an independent recruitment process and interviews. Fraser is the current interim Chief Executive so he will be able to start immediately and it will be a seamless transition.” “I am sure that we will continue our strong working relationships with key stakeholders and that Fraser’s appointment will have a positive impact on our continued role in developing social enterprise in Scotland.” Social Enterprise Scotland is an independent Scottish organisation, built and controlled by grassroots social enterprises across the country. The organisation operates as a voice of social enterprise, bringing together social enterprises and their supporters into a strong campaigning force. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 11

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

Wear your team colours this Wrong Trousers day and donate £1 to

help sick children in the UK

HOT LINE 0845 600 1924 www.wrongtrousersday.org Kindly sponsored by

Helping sick children in hospitals and hospices across the UK

12 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation supports children’s healthcare throughout the UK. Registered Charity Number 1096483 © Aardman/Wallace & Gromit Limited 2012

Supported by

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

allace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation is a national charity which raises funds to improve the quality of life for children in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK. Created in 2003, it is the only national charity to receive the backing of the treble Academy Awardwinning characters Wallace & Gromit, created by Nick Park at Aardman, who is also a trustee of the Children’s Foundation. Wrong Trousers Day is an annual national fundraising event. Thousands of people from all walks of life pay a pound to swap their normal attire and step out in weird and wacky clothes - or just something plain ‘wrong.’ This year’s event takes place on Friday 29th June and Wallace & Gromit are urging the nation to join in the Olympic fun this year and support their favourite team and by donning their weirdest, wackiest legwear in their national colours and donate £1 for the right to look wrong. You could even go for gold this Wrong Trousers Day and help raise funds for sick children by wearing trousers in the winner’s colour! Wrong Trousers Day for the second year is proudly sponsored by Nutricia who specialise in the delivery of advanced medical nutrition for the very young, the old and the sick. This is a cracking partnership as Roger Phillips, Nutricia’s Regional Vice President and sponsor of Wrong Trousers Day 2012, says: “Nutricia are delighted to support Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation Wrong Trousers Day once again. As part of our ongoing partnership with the charity, Nutricia will be supporting the day with fund raising events at our offices and our Paediatric Representatives will work closely with selected children’s wards to ensure a fun and successful day is had by all”. The Foundation also organises the popular annual fundraiser Wallace & Gromit’s Great British Tea Party, launched in 2008. Held in December each year, people across the UK are invited to take part in a tea party in their area and make a donation to the charity. The Great British Tea Party won Cause Related Marketing Campaign of the Year at the Marketing Week Awards 2010. The charity works with an established network of children’s hospitals and hospices to provide the very best comforts and facilities available and to ensure children in hospital and hospices have a better, brighter future. By funding an innovative range of projects, the charity is able to enrich and enhance the lives of patients and their families in regional centers throughout the country. Wallace & Gromit’s Wrong Trousers Day raises funds

for 77 children’s hospitals and hospices throughout the UK. Funds raised support projects and causes in local communities such as: art, music, play and sensory therapy; family services; state of the art equipment and child friendly environments. This year the Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation handed over a total of £1.52million, to 178 projects in children’s hospitals and hospices from across the UK. Wallace & Gromit’s Wrong Trousers Day 2012 Fast Facts • Wrong Trousers Day is a huge, annual fundraising event organised by the national charity Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation • It is backed by the treble Academy Awardwinning characters Wallace and Gromit, created by Nick Park at Aardman and inspired by their film ‘The Wrong Trousers’ • This year’s Wrong Trousers Day takes place on Friday 29th June. For more information, call 0207 8418 987 or visit www.wrongtrousersday. org • Created in 2003, Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation raises funds on Wrong Trousers Day to improve the quality of life for children in hospitals and hospices across the UK. Since 2003 Wrong Trousers Day has raised over £1.1 million • In 2012, 77 hospitals and hospices in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will benefit from funds raised • To take part, people are invited to pay £1 and step out in their weirdest, wackiest legwear – or just something plain ‘wrong’! • T-shirts and mugs. Order online at www. wrongtrousersday.org or call 020 7841 8987. • Every year, 2.4 million children are admitted to hospital – that’s roughly 20% of all children under 16 in the UK • 20,000 children in the UK suffering from a life limiting illness will not make it to their eighteenth birthday • 1 in 3 families in the UK have a child who has been admitted to hospital Wrong Trousers Day 2012 Beneficiaries Across Scotland Music in Hospitals, Children’s Hospital Association of Scotland Glasgow The Royal Hospital for Sick Children Robin House Hospice Aberdeen The Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital Edinburgh The Royal Hospital for Sick Children Yorkhill Yorkhill Children’s Foundation FOCUS SCOTLAND | 13

FOCUS ON: POLITICS

THE STATE OF WELFARE O n the 11th May 2010 the U.K. Government set out in its coalition documents their programme for government during the new U.K. Parliament. While many of the proposed coalition government policies such as health reform will have no direct impact on Scotland due to devolution, one major change in policy will; welfare reform.

Since the inception of universal pensions through the Old Age Pensions Act 1908, welfare has been a political hot potato – even more so in light of the present reforms. This new UK Act will have far reaching consequences for the entire system of benefits across the U.K. and will replace a wide range of benefits with, Universal Credit (UC) and the Personal Independence Payment which replaces Disability Living Allowance. The U.K. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith M.P said: “I’m delighted this Bill, that will fundamentally change people’s lives, has received Royal Assent 14 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

– this is an historic moment for the Coalition Government and for my department. This Bill reforms virtually every part of our welfare system and I look forward to implementing the changes our country badly needs. The Universal Credit will mean that work will pay for the first time, helping to lift people out of worklessness and the endless cycle of benefits. Whilst those people who need our help and support will know they will get it without question.” In summary, the UK Act: •

Provides for the introduction of a UC for working age adults to replace Income Support (IS), income-based Jobseeker‘s Allowance (IBJSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (IESA), Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. The intention is for full roll-out to commence in October 2013, following a pathfinder‘system for new claimants due to start in April 2013. Implementation for existing claimants will then

FOCUS ON: POLITICS

•

• •

be phased in over a period of four years, from 2013-17. Provides for changes to the responsibilities of claimants of JSA, ESA and IS in the period leading up to the introduction of UC. In particular, provision is made for the introduction of a claimant commitment. The claimant commitment will be a record of the requirements claimants are expected to meet in order to receive benefit and the consequences should they fail to do so. Once the UC provisions have come into force, ESA and JSA will continue alongside UC as contributory benefits. As well as the changes to be made in the interim period, the Act also introduces longer-term reforms to align ESA and JSA more closely with the provisions for UC. Limits the period for which people in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) can receive contribution-based ESA to 365 days and prevents any new claims for ESA on the grounds of youth. The youth‘ provisions of contribution-based ESA allow certain young people to qualify without having to pay National Insurance contributions. Starts from 1st May 2012. Introduces the Personal Independence Payment to replace the Disability Living Allowance for adults of working age. The intention is that this will start from April 2013. Provides regulation making powers to cap the total amount of benefit that can be claimed. The intention is that this will start from 2013. Provides regulation making powers in relation to the determination of maximum housing benefit. The intention is regulations will be made to restrict housing benefit for people of working age under-occupying social rented properties and to change the way that local housing allowance rates are calculated. The intention is that this will start from 2013. Establishes a Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission. Starting in 2012. Provides for a restriction in access to Income Support for lone parents; to be eligible lone parents will have to have a child under five years of age, compared to under seven years at present. This came into force on 20 March 2012, under the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (Commencement No.1) Order 2012, SI 863. Amends the forthcoming statutory child maintenance scheme. Abolishes Council Tax Benefit and parts of the Social Fund (community care grants and crisis

loans for living expenses). Whilst the Scottish Government and many opposition parties have opposed these changes, the Scottish Parliament must still undertake legislative changes in Scotland which will allow the new benefits to work in conjunction with new arrangements that replace Council Tax Benefit and the Social Fund. One major statement of intent from the Scottish Government and Parliament has been the refusal to allow the U.K. Parliament to make consequential amendments relating to devolved policy areas when the legislative consent was sought from the Scottish Parliament. On 22nd December 2011 this was, in part, refused. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP stated that refusing to give the U.K. Government consent would give the Scottish Parliament greater opportunity for scrutiny: “Let me be clear: we will take whatever steps are necessary, in the timescale required, to ensure that we protect access to passported benefits when universal credit is introduced. Our doing that through primary legislation, and indeed with the establishment of a new parliamentary committee, will give the Parliament the opportunity to scrutinise more fully the implications of the changes and, within the obvious and severe financial constraints that we have, consider what mitigation measures are possible.” This refusal to give consent has been to ensure that the Scottish Parliament can ensure that the U.K. legislation takes recognition of the Scottish Parliaments support for devolved, passported benefits in Scotland, such as free school meals and blue badge parking permits which allows people who are in receipt of income support or disability living allowance, are entitled to receive as a consequence of (or passport from) their entitlement to the UK benefit. For more information on the U.K. Legislation: http:// www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/ For more information on the Scottish Legislation: Scottish Government: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ News/Releases/2012/03/welfare23032012 Scottish Parliament: http://www.scottish.parliament. uk/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/48804.aspx FOCUS SCOTLAND | 15

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

What made you get involved in volunteering? I found I had some spare time and I wanted to use it constructively. I thought about my local community and decided that I wanted to give something back. Where do you volunteer? My volunteering takes place in the Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire offices in Cambuslang What do you like most about your volunteering placement? I like the flexibility of the role, I can put in or take out as much time as I like and there is no pressure How easy do you find it to fit volunteering into your life? Volunteering has been an easy introduction to my life, I know when my shifts are and I am under no pressure to do too much.

VOLUNTEERING AND ME: Helen McLaughlin South Lanarkshire

What do you think you have gained from volunteering? There have been a few things that I have gained from my volunteering, I get to meet lots of new people and I am learning lots of new skills. What do your friends and family think of your volunteering? My friends and family are very proud of me for taking on a volunteering role Have you used an existing interest in your volunteering or have you learned a new skill? I was always interested in meeting new people so my volunteering allows me to use an existing interest in a new role. I am interested in learning new skills and my role allows me to do that.

If you would like to volunteer in your community visit www.volunteerscotland.org.uk or contact us on 0141 941 0886 or text the word volunteer to 80800 16 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

What benefits do you think the organisation/ people you volunteer with gain from your work? I’d like to think that they value the skills that I have, I am reliable, have good communication skills and I am able to get the job done. What benefits do you think you have gained from volunteering? My volunteering role has allowed me to make lots of new friends. What would you say to encourage others into volunteering? “Go for it!!”

RaisingAwareness Bringing Bringing Positive Positive Change Change in in Male Male Cancer Cancer Awareness Awareness For more information visit

www.cahonasscotland.com

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

WORLD WATER WEEK AUG 26TH - 31ST 18 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

t’s hard for us to imagine what life without a plentiful supply of water would be like. We live in a country where we seldom suffer drought and, indeed, have even been known to sell our wonderful water to our English neighbours in the past. Our understanding of a drought is not being able to wash our cars with a hose pipe or to lavish our gardens with sprinklers, and as for filling ponds and swimming pools… well that’s another question. However, for many in developing countries, drought and poor quality water is a deadly issue. World Water Week 2012 running from August 26th31st will aim to raise the awareness of conditions in countries across Asia, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and Europe. It has been held in Sweden since 1991, is organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute and provides a platform for global water issues. This year looks at water and food security. More than enough food is produced annually to cater for the needs of the world’s population, yet one billion people are starving and around two million people overeat. World Water Week will focus on how we can redress this balance and also provide sustainable resources to cope with the potential two billion people who will be born in the coming decades in countries where water and the provision of food are a daily problem. Did you know that to make a single cup of coffee takes up to 140 litres of water if you take into account the growing of the coffee beans, the roasting of the beans, the transportation of them and then the making of the cup of coffee – staggering! So, it seems the question is not really the use of water, it’s more about the misuse of water and not taking it for granted. As things stand just now, around 70% of the world’s water is used in agriculture and with a growing population, this is a matter of concern – accessible and clean water for all is one of the reasons that World Water Week is so important. Whilst we cannot hope to solve the problems in developing countries in one fell swoop, there are many things that we, as individuals, can do to help our own situation and by doing so making ourselves more aware of how precious water is. These things are not major or life altering, but will make a difference. Keep your shower to less than five

minutes – you’ll still be clean, set up a water butt to collect rainwater and use it to water the garden or house plants, turn off the tap when you brush your teeth and save up to three litres in a minute! There is absolutely no reason not become water aware. If we, as the public, hold authorities and the powers that be accountable then differences can be made. There are many other organisations that offer support to developing countries vis a vis water and give us the opportunity to help, for example by sponsoring a water project in places like Uganda or well digging in Niger. Wateraid and Oxfam, amongst others, provide support and information about what we can do to help. Whilst the main theme of World Water Week is the link between water and food provision, it is also important not to lose sight of the role that water plays in basic hygiene and sanitation. In the developing world many people have access to just 10 litres of water per day – it is almost impossible to comprehend how it is viable to survive on this amount. If we brush our teeth and leave the tap running we will use up to 5 litres of water in this activity alone and take a moment to think how much we use each time we put the washing machine on – up to 70 litres. Clean clothes, clean bodies and a clean living environment are basic human rights that we take for granted and yet an unacceptable percentage of the world’s population do not have these. Half the hospital beds in developing countries are occupied by people who do not have access to a sustainable supply of clean water and are suffering from associated diseases such as diarrhoea and every year diarrhoea kills more children than malaria, AIDS and measles put together. And this does not take into account those who are suffering from hunger and malnutrition caused by failed crops and drought. This is an unacceptable statistic and is one that we, as members of developed communities, have a duty to address. In order to find out more about the work of various organisations and charities visit www.wateraid.org or www.oxfam.org.uk/waterweek for example. Further information about this year’s World Water Week and issues tackled in previous years can be found at www.worldwaterweek.org. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 19

FOCUS ON: INTERVIEW

MEET THE FUNDER

MARY CRAIG, LLOYDS TSB FOUNDATION

20 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

FOCUS ON: INTERVIEW

n a new regular feature, Focus Scotland chats with the main third sector and charity funders in Scotland today. This edition, we caught up with Mary Craig of the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland

Foundation had no option but to take legal action as the result will set a precedent for the way our income is calculated for the remainder of our covenant with the Banking Group.

Q: The financial crisis has had a direct impact on the work and income of many charitable bodies none more than your Foundation. How has this impacted the work of the Foundation in meeting its aims and objectives? Mary Craig : The financial crisis has made life very difficult for many charities across Scotland, either because they are finding it harder to raise much needed funds or because more people are turning to them for support, or both. So the Foundation is by no means alone in being affected. Our funds come from the pre-tax profits of Lloyds Banking Group, and so when the Banking Group makes a loss this obviously has an impact on the level of funding we have available to distribute. However, we are still focused on making the biggest impact possible with our funding, and have looked at how we work to see if there are better ways of doing things. For example, we recently set up a partnership with Evaluation Support Scotland and Pilotlight to deliver focused capacity building support for some of the charities we fund. This a new way of doing this for us, and allows us to maximise the skills and experience that are in other organisations.

Q:The Foundation was given unequivocal support from three Court of Session judges in late 2011 when the Foundation won its appeal but in February Lloyds Banking Group launched an appeal which will go to the Supreme Court. What impact is this appeal having on your Foundation and the work it does across Scotland? Mary Craig: We continue to get on with our job of supporting Scotland’s charities. When the Banking Group announced it was going to appeal the ruling from the Court of Session we called this decision ill-judged, oppressive and unnecessary, and we still believe that to be the case. The Banking Group owes the Foundation £3.5 million from 2010, and another £1.75 million from 2011, and this is funding we should be awarding to Scotland’s hard-pressed charities, now and in the future. Of course, without this money we are limited in what we can give away by grants for the foreseeable future. However, we are very clear that our job is to give money and support to Scotland’s charities and so that is what we are continuing to do.

Q: Lloyds TSB Foundation took the unprecedented steps of launching a court action against LTSB Banking Group for their alleged breach of covenant in 2010, what brought the Foundation to take such drastic action? Mary Craig: The money that Lloyds Banking Group owes us should be helping support the work of charities across Scotland, and that is what this court action is about. The Foundation is an independent charitable organisation that receives income from a covenant with Lloyds Banking Group that legally entitles us to a share of 1% of the Banking Group’s pre-tax profits per annum. We had tried to reach agreement with the Banking Group about the money we were owed as a result of £1.042bn pre-tax profits the Group had made in the 2009/10 financial year, but this proved impossible as the Group unilaterally changed the basis on which they calculated our share under the covenant. We took legal advice from leading QCs in England and Scotland, and from a respected independent accountant, all of whom believed the Foundation’s interpretation of the covenant was correct. We shared this advice with Lloyds Banking Group but they still did not pay us the monies we were due. Consequently the

Q:There have been detractors of the Foundations methods in this court case, especially south of the border; does the Scottish Foundation now feel vindicated by the decision of the Court of Session? Mary Craig: Absolutely. The decision in favour of the Foundation was taken by Scotland’s senior judge, the Lord President, Lord Hamilton, sitting with Lord Carloway and Lord Kingarth at what is Scotland’s supreme civil court. Their decision shows that the Foundation’s Trustees were right not to accept the original finding from the first court hearing. Our Trustees have a duty to act in the best interests of the Foundation and the charities we support, and given the strength of the legal advice we had, it would have been remiss of them not to pursue the money to which we are entitled. Q: The Foundation has, since its creation, undertaken a range of investments in Scotland’s community and volunteering sector. Since 1985, how has that investment changed? Mary Craig: We’ve always tried to be responsive to the needs of the sector, so over the years we’ve developed new programmes or changed the focus of existing ones based on what people in the sector say are their priorities. The Partnership Drugs Initiative is a great example of that. Our Trustees saw how FOCUS SCOTLAND | 21

FOCUS ON: INTERVIEW many applications we were getting for work in this area and decided to put a dedicated programme in place. There have also been times such as the foot and mouth epidemic that we’ve set up one-off award programmes to meet an acute need. One of the great things about what we do is that we also see individual charities develop and grow, and so on a grant by grant level how our money is used will change. Charities may have had a number of different grants from us over the years but for very different things depending on what is most important to them at the time. I suppose what has stayed constant is that it’s not up to us to dictate to charities how they should use our money; we feel it’s up to us to listen to what they most need funding to achieve. Q: In 2010 your main grant programme was renamed the ‘Henry Duncan Awards’ in honour of The Reverend Henry Duncan who founded the first Trustee Savings Bank - which ultimately led to the establishment of the Foundation – just over 200 years ago. This is aimed at small organisations; how critically to Scotland do you believe these small groups are? Mary Craig: They are vital to many communities across Scotland. The thousands of grassroots charities that work at a really local level have often been set up by someone who saw a gap in what was being provided for their own local community. So they really understand the challenges that need to be addressed but also know the strengths of the people in the area. I think that’s why they are often so successful. It is often really small charities that are able to see opportunities and move quickly to do something about them. That’s not to say they don’t have challenges. Time and time again we get applications from great local charities that are struggling just to cover their basic running costs, and there are only a limited number of places people can go to for funding. Scotland would be a very different place without the huge amount of work these charities deliver, and local communities would be in a much worse position without them, so it is essential we do everything we can to provide the right support to help them keep going. Q: As we celebrate Volunteers Week 2012, how essential does the Foundation view volunteers as being in delivering its aims through the funding of small community and volunteering organisations? Mary Craig: It’s hard to over-estimate the role volunteers play in most of the charities we support, and I believe the majority of charities would probably be unable to keep going if it wasn’t for the work that 22 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

is done by volunteers. A lot of the applications we get are from charities with only a few paid members of staff but many more volunteers. In fact, for the awards we made in April, the charities we supported had almost 1,200 volunteers involved in delivering their work. That’s an incredible number. Making this work can be a challenge and volunteers need to be properly trained and well managed, but the resource this takes is more than repaid. People volunteer because they are interested in what a charity is doing, and having enthusiastic people on board is worth its weight in gold. It’s also a fantastic way of getting the local community involved and helping them understand what it is you do and why. Q: Lloyds TSB Foundation Scotland is the nation’s largest independent grant-making Trust, what pressures does this place on the Foundation? Mary Craig: It’s true that we used to be the largest independent grant-making trust in Scotland, but that’s not the case at present. There’s no pressure, it’s a privilege to work with the charities that we do around Scotland. However there are always new challenges and, more than ever, we are focused on making sure our funding has the biggest impact possible. The majority of our funding through the Henry Duncan Awards goes to grassroots charities which are working in local communities. Most of these awards also go to help pay for salaries or running costs. We know that without this type of funding charities just can’t keep going. Our partnership with the Scottish Government to fund work with children and young people affected by substance misuse is well established, but we still keeping looking for ways to share learning and increase the impact of these awards. For example, we recently ran a masterclass with STRADA which brought together people from a whole range of different backgrounds to hear from funded projects and find out what the Foundation has learnt from all the evaluation work it has done in this area. That was a great success and we want to do more of this in the future. Q: The Lloyds TSB Banking Group has served 9 years notice on the end of the Covenant with the Foundation. What long term future therefore do you believe the Foundation has in the public life of Scotland? Mary Craig: The Foundation is determined to keep doing what it was set up to do – distribute funds to help improve the lives of people in Scotland. It was what we were set up to do and our long-term aim is to ensure we keep doing this. I believe it is incumbent on us to use the experience we have in

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

VOLUNTEERING AND ME J

enna Law may only be 17 but she already has a strong volunteering pedigree. Chosen to be one of the Olympic Torch Bearers during June, Jenna is very clear the role that volunteering has played in helping her life journey. “Through volunteering I have found my future career really. I have gained the skills and experience to help me to become a youth worker. Carrying The Olympic Torch on 8th June, is a once in a lifetime bonus -this opportunity was given to me because of my work with young people.”

Jenna first came into contact with volunteering at the age of 8 when she became involved in the events and activities organised by the Tullochan Trust, a youth activities organisation in West Dunbartonshire. “Tullochan were great, they helped me as a young person in gaining confidence and they provided me with amazing opportunities” she says. “I knew I would volunteer as soon as I could, I wanted the young people from my community to get involved like I did. Once I started volunteering I realised how much organisations need volunteers like me.” Currently Jenna volunteers in two charitable organisations in her local area – the Tullochan Trust and Haldane Youth Services. Additionally, she is a peer education volunteer with the Vale of Leven Junior Youth Club ran by West Dunbartonshire Council. “ I know that the organisations benefit from having another pair of hands and a trustworthy independent volunteer. I feed back to the

coordinator and team regularly, I bring fresh young ideas and enthusiasm which also benefits the young people.” As part of her volunteering experience Jenna has taken part in outdoor sports, circus skills, drama and arts and crafts, and helped pass the skills learnt onto other young people. She is clear that she has learned almost every day through her activities. But Jenna is clear what volunteering gives her, “I enjoy working with the young people and building positive relationships with them. I like organising activities, it is fun and exciting to be involved. The practical workshops are great, the young people love them, and it is great to see them grow and develop their skills. I have gained new skills e.g. dance ,music and have enhanced existing skills e.g. communication and organisation. I have gained confidence and new friends.” Although incredibly busy, Jenna fits volunteering into her life – a fact not lost on those around her. “My family are delighted, they admire my dedication and are proud of my choices. One of my friends has taken up volunteering since she has seen how much I enjoy it.” “My message to anyone thinking of volunteering? Go for it, you can make a difference, you gain experience and it’s very rewarding to give something back.” FOCUS SCOTLAND | 23

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

BIKE WEEK 2012

ike week was started by the CTC (Cyclists Touring Club) in 1923 and its aim is to get more people on bikes more often, to show that getting back on a bike is easy to do as well as being a fun activity for all the family and to encourage people to continue cycling throughout the year.

bikeweek.org.uk to find out events in your area. There are many reasons to cycle, thousands of people have realised that using the bike to make journeys can help them lose weight without dieting, save money and enjoy a longer healthier life, in addition to this we get o make Scotland a better place to live.

Bike Week in June is the UK’s annual ‘celebration of cycling’ and it’s coming to a town near you! Bike Week aims to get ‘more people cycling more often’. 250,000 participants are anticipated this year. Cycling Scotland is promoting Bike Week and lending PR support to some of the major events and publicising the week’s proceedings as widely as possible. From large group rides to a cycling film festival, there’s something in this year’s programme of activities for everyone, whether they currently cycle or not. The main aim of Bike Week is to get as many people as possible out experiencing the pleasures and benefits of cycling. Many events are aimed at beginners, easing novices into the saddle with rides on quiet off-road paths. Cycle training and safety checks are available across the country for those who want to get clued up before getting behind the handlebars and there’s also plenty going on for those who are already bike-mad.

A FEW POINTS TO CONSIDER:

Wherever in Scotland you live, there’s bound to be something going on near you. Log on to www. 24 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

You will look better Gentle cycling uses fat as fuel. Using your bicycle to make some journeys, such as riding to work or picking up the Sunday papers, will help you to lose weight and shape your body. Because it is easy to control how hard you are working, cycling is an ideal, low impact activity if you have not been able to take exercise regularly. You will feel better- Being in a car exposes you to around 25% more pollution than if you are walking or cycling. This can cause or worsen headaches, eye pain, asthma and respiratory complaints. Every time you exercise, especially outdoors, you boost your immune system, helping you to fight off illness. While cycling, it is often easy to find pleasant, traffic-free routes meaning that your journeys can become a pleasant addition to your day. Apart from the physical benefits, cycling has also been proven to assist in preventing and overcoming depression. Cycling will save you money- Apart from walking, cycling is the cheapest way to travel.

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY It is far cheaper per mile than public transport or driving. While it may not be practical for every journey, the local journeys most suited to cycling are also the worst for your car, your bank balance and the environment. Driving short distances, especially in traffic, causes significant wear and tear to engines and uses much more fuel per mile than a longer journey on the open road. By cycling to your destination, you also remove the need for parking charges. In many countries, even those with more hills and worse weather, people realise that the car is not the intelligent choice for all trips, and think nothing of using the bike for local journeys. Apart from the money saved by doing this, getting into the habit of making trips by bicycle lets you stay in shape without paying for gym classes or sports equipment. You should live longer You will reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, respiratory disease and diabetes as soon as you incorporate moderate activity into your life. If you do this regularly, statistics show that people who, for example, cycle to work regularly enjoy the wellbeing of people ten years younger. Whether you want to be in better shape to play with the kids (or grand-children), get an edge over your friends at five-a-side or simply feel better on a day to day basis, bike journeys can change your life for surprisingly little effort. You can save yourself some time In many cases we climb into the car without realising that it may not be the fastest way to get from A to B. 62% of all journeys we make are between 1 and 2 miles,and nearly 75% are under 5 miles. As the greatest desire to make these journeys is at “rush hour”, this means that the time when most people want to travel is the very time we move the slowest. A cyclist can easily average 10 miles an hour, even when the streets are congested. Some choose to use traffic-free cycle lanes, very often hidden from the road network in pleasant parkland or waterway environments, some choose to mix with the traffic which is very often near stationary anyway. Either way, a half hour drive to work can often be easily completed in under 15 minutes by bike, and that’s without going hard enough to even consider needing a shower or a change of clothes. In addition, there’s no need to queue for parking spaces, and no need to find time to use a gym, go jogging etc. to be healthy. The journey you’re making anyway covers your needs to stay in shape. Give your brain a boost Regular physical activity helps more than just your

body. People starting their day with a ride to work or school become more alert, confident and better able to process information and handle tasks. By using your bike on a regular basis, you will also be able to deal with stress or anxiety and boost your self confidence. Do it for the kids Surveys suggest that in the UK over the next 10 years we will see a 25% increase in the number of children dying before their parents. Why? Even inactive parents probably walked to school, played physical games and in doing so developed their immune system and strengthened their hearts. Even after becoming sedentary the body retains these benefits to some degree. Unfortunately, an inactive lifestyle in the home influences children and prevents them from gaining these invaluable assets. The result, apart from an alarming rise in childhood obesity, is that the current, less active generation of children and youths will not have the resources to cope with physical stresses to their bodies in the same way. This makes the implications of normal illnesses much worse, and coupled with the subsequent rise in inactivity related illnesses, the result is that more people will get ill and die young. You can help your family and yourself. Find time for active play or recreation, encourage active travel, even if it’s just walking to school or to the shops, look for opportunities to be more active while doing normal things (like taking the stairs instead of the elevator). If you would like advice on this, you can contact your local NHS trust and ask for advice on healthy living. Your local council will probably also operate community health programmes, and you can contact us for advice or training on making journeys by bicycle. See Scotland at its best There are thousands of beautiful places around Scotland which can be enjoyed even more by bicycle. Cycling at a level of effort similar to a gentle stroll can let you cover enough ground to complete a forest loop, a tour of a country park or a pleasant afternoon exploring 5 or 6 villages with cafe stops and tourist attractions. All this without worrying about parking and at the same time as getting some moderate physical activity. You can use the rail network throughout Scotland to take day trips or longer holidays with your bicycle, and ferry travel is much cheaper than if you were taking your car. From a bicycle, you get a much more distinct impression of the world around you, with a greater awareness of the sounds, smells and sights that make Scotland such a unique place. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 25

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

WHO NEEDS REFUGEES?

REFUGEE WEEK

18TH - 24TH JUNE 2012

ow often do you read or hear how refugees are a blight on UK society and how we could do without them in the UK. Refugees have made a massive impact on many aspects of life in the UK. We have been taking Refugees in the UK since 1560 when the Spanish started to execute Dutch Protestants in Haarlem; those refugees fled religious persecution in the Netherlands and settled in London and in the east of England. A century later Jewish people were admitted into England, with 26 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

the proviso that they converted to Christianity, they were mostly of Spanish and Portuguese origin but lived in the Netherlands, these refugees brought with them new ideas and culinary expertise not seen in Britain before, it is interesting how something as quintessentially British as fish and chips had its origins in refugee movement. The next influx of refugees were the French Huguenots, who fled the persecution of Louis XIV,

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY they primarily settled in the south of the UK with some going as far as Derry and Dublin, even they had proviso’s on being allowed to reside in the UK, they couldn’t inherit landed property, had to pay double taxation and other subsides as well. They brought a number of skills including developing market gardening and were 7 of the 24 founders of the Bank of England. Just under a century later it was the turn of the Roman Catholics to flee to Britain from France to avoid the French revolution, this period ran for almost 120 years, with notable figures such as Karl Marx and Victor Hugo fleeing their countries. The next influx of refugees was from Russia when tens of thousands of Russian Jews fled the pogroms, Russians weren’t the only ones, Jewish people from Poland and Romania also fled to Britain. The first attempts at limiting the number of refugees allowed entry into Britain happened towards the end of the 19th Century. In 1905 the Aliens Act was passed marking an end to liberal acceptance of foreigners, there was an amendment to the Act that excluded refugees from being refused asylum on the grounds of not being able to support themselves. Jewish refugees left a legacy of economic contribution to the UK, some after dealing with the horrors of their native land campaigned to ensure that the same didn’t happen here. Notable names are Sir Montague Burton, the founder of Burtons grew his empire from humble beginnings, that other quintessential UK brand was founded when Michael Marks arrived from Eastern Europe and set up a shop with the Englishman Tom Spencer and the brand that is known as Marks and Spencer was founded. Marks and Spencer typify in a lot of people’s eye that “pure Britishness” yet it was built on the entrepreneurship of two men who didn’t let prejudice get in the way of a great business model. From 1914 to the present day the UK has seen many different nationalities seek asylum, there were Belgian refugees from the First World War, Basque refugee children fleeing Franco’s fascism. The Second World War saw an influx of Jewish people fleeing from Hitler’s genocide. The Jews weren’t the only ones who became refugees, 100,000 Belgians, French, Danes and Norwegians came to the UK during WWII and most of them returned to their homeland once the war was over. During WWII some 250,000 Polish refugees arrived in the UK fleeing the Germans and laterally fleeing communism. These Poles were given special

dispensation due to them fighting in the British Army, the Polish Resettlement Act provided support for the refuges and the Poles were instrumental in rebuilding Britain post WWII, they built new houses, filled labour shortages and laying the foundations of the rebuilding of Britain. Even after WWII there has been many different refugees coming to our shores, we have had refugees from the Soviet Union, Romania, Czechoslovakia and Hungary. As we entered the 70’s we start to see refugees from Africa, Uganda in particular, we also see an influx of Chilean and Vietnamese refugees where leadership choices led to persecution and people having to flee their homeland. In the 90’s we had Bosnian refugees fleeing civil war in the former Yugoslavia, then the Kosovan refugees arrived as they were fleeing ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s Britain started to see more asylum seekers and refugees from Africa, all fleeing civil war in their countries. What is the difference between a Refugee and an Asylum Seeker? A Refugee is someone whose asylum application has been successful having proved that they would face persecution at home. An Asylum Seeker is someone who has left their country of origin and formally applied for asylum in another country but whose application has not yet been decided. So a refugee is someone who has been successful in their application and an Asylum seeker is someone who has not been allocated the right to stay in the UK. The UK asylum system is not as easy as people think it is and as a result of the tough application process Asylum applications have fallen by almost three quarters in the last five years. How about the myth that Asylum Seekers and Refugees get everything from the State? They are allowed entry into the UK, they aren’t allowed to work, who is going to provide for them, the state has a duty of care, if you allow someone into the country and you prevent them from working you have to feed and clothe them, they don’t get the same level of benefit as everyone else so they have to be frugal with their income. A lot of asylum seekers and refugees do voluntary work which is a great thing, many of them struggle with the language but they don’t let that prevent them from contributing to the voluntary sector. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 27

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

So what about the contribution to the UK? There are more than 1,100 medically trained refugees recorded on the British Medical Associations database, it costs only £10,000 to prepare a refugee doctor to practice in the UK compared to £250,000 to train a doctor from scratch. If you do the maths, investing £10,000 in each of the people on the list to get them up to UK standard the total would be £11million, the number of doctors trained from scratch for the same 11million would be 44. It isn’t just the medical profession; we have teachers who are here but not practicing because their qualifications aren’t considered as good as those gained in the UK. Refugees are an integral part of UK society, we should be embracing them, making them feel welcome, taking what they offer to us and give what we can to make them want to stay in the UK. We need a multicultural society, we may not think about it too much but when we look at our diet where would we be without Chinese food, Indian food and Italian food not to mention the many different nationalities who have introduced their food into the diet of the UK. All those foods are common place, we think of fish and chips as a UK staple, it was a refugee who brought it here; we have Marks and Spencer another British ‘Brand’ but that was started by someone who didn’t let their status interfere with good business. We need to start realising what we have in the UK, we have children who learn from their peers about another country, we have so many different nationalities in Scotland and the UK in general, can you imagine how our life would be if they weren’t here? Suzi Simpson, Arts and Cultural Development Officer, said: “We are really excited to launch another fabulous Refugee Week, this year themed around Spirit, which has a wider geographical reach than ever before. “From June 18-24 there are over 100 events including a star studded opening concert featuring Fence Collective’s King Creosote, an exclusive preview of excerpts from Cora Bisset’s new musical, Glasgow Girls, and a whole host of community celebrations demonstrating the strength of spirit of refugees across Scotland. “This year we are also launching our Refugee Week Scotland Fundraising Appeal. We can’t do this without support so we hope everyone will get in the spirit and help us to ensure this great festival continues to go from strength to strength.” 28 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

NATIONAL TRANSPLANT WEEK JULY 9TH - 15TH 2012

ith three people dying every day whilst waiting for organs, National Transplant Week is the annual UK-wide awareness week to increase understanding of organ donation and encourage more people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register. For the third year it is being led by NHS Blood and Transplant in collaboration with a number of leading voluntary and health organisations. This year’s Transplant Week runs from Monday 9th to Sunday 15th July. The campaign theme is ‘Pass it On’ - focusing not just on signing up to the Register but also the importance of passing on your donation wishes to family and friends so they know what you would like to happen after your death. For more info http://www.transplantweek.co.uk

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

Suicide. Don’t hide it. Talk about it. Samaritans

08457 90 90 90

Breathing Space

0800 83 85 87

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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

IT’S IN THE BLOOD 30 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

any people nowadays are interested in where they come from and discovering “new blood” in their families, how many of them consider their actual blood?

Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their lifesaving gifts of blood.

World Blood Donor Day was launched on 14 June 2004 in Johannesburg, South Africa, it builds from the success of World Health Day 2000. The enthusiasm and energy with which this day was celebrated indicated that there would be a positive response to an opportunity to give thanks to the millions of people who give the precious gift of life. It also builds on International Blood Donor Day organized annually by the International Federation of Blood Donor Organisations since 1995.

World Blood Donor Day is a day of change, if more people in the developed world donate blood are they donating blood in order to pick up the slack from the developing countries, maybe so but as part of a species maybe we should be looking to increase the number of safe blood donations from the developing countries.

Throughout the world millions of people owe their lives to those people who donate their blood, these donors volunteer to donate their blood freely and without any reward, however in many countries are dependent on donations by the families and friends of patients who require blood and in some countries they receive payment for it.

We are all human, we all need blood and it is easy to look at a family tree and think that you have a massive extended family but what if your family needed it, would that encourage people to donate?

The majority of the world’s population do not have access to safe blood. Which when you consider that there are over 80 million units of blood donated every year but only 38% of it comes from the developing countries where 82% of the global population live. Evidence from around the world demonstrates that voluntary unpaid donors are the foundation of a safe blood supply because they are least likely to transmit potentially life-threatening infections such as HIV and Hepatitis viruses to the recipients of that donation. World Blood Donor Day was not created to replace events such as national Blood Donor Days, but to honour the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, the Nobel Prize winner who discovered the ABO blood group system. The distribution of the blood groups A, B, O and AB varies across the world according to the population. There are also variations in blood type distribution within human subpopulations. Blood group A is associated with high frequencies in Europe, especially in Scandinavia and Central Europe, although its highest frequencies occur in some Australian Aborigine populations and the Blackfoot Indians of Montana. On 14 June, countries worldwide celebrate World

The theme of the 2012 World Blood Donor Day campaign, “Every blood donor is a hero” focuses on the idea that every one of us can become a hero by giving blood. While recognizing the silent and unsung heroes who save lives every day through their blood donations, the theme also strongly encourages more people all over the world to donate blood voluntarily and regularly. Every blood donor is a hero. If you are interested in becoming a blood donor contact the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service on 0845 90 90 999. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 31

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

ALEX SALMOND MSP FIRST MINISTER OF SCOTLAND AREA: ABERDEENSHIRE EAST

“More than a million Scots volunteer each year and every one of them makes an enormous contribution. All day, every day, in communities across Scotland people are helping their neighbours and their communities, people who might not even see themselves as volunteers but who help make this country what it is. People are giving their time and effort to try to make this a better place for all of us to live, and I can’t think of many things more admirable than that. For young people in particular, I think volunteering can really help them become confident, successful adults. That’s why I’m so keen on the Saltire Awards youth volunteering scheme, which I hope encourages more teenagers to see how they can not only help others but help themselves. I think it’s our responsibility to support volunteers wherever possible. We provide financial support in a number of different ways and I think it’s sometimes equally important to show our support for the time and enthusiasm people show. Volunteers Week is a great chance to say thank you and show our appreciation for the valuable contribution you make.” 32 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

RUTH DAVIDSON MSP LEADER OF SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVES AREA: GLASGOW REGION

“Volunteers’ week is a great way to highlight the important work done by many thousands of Scottish volunteers throughout the country. From kinship carers to charity helpers to community councillors, Scotland benefits from an army of volunteers who make a real difference to our society and make Scotland a better, more caring place. The great thing about volunteering is that – as well as making a huge difference to a person, cause or campaign – the volunteer can benefit as well. Whether from new friends, new skills or a sense of pride in a job well done, volunteering can have a hugely positive impact on the individual as well as the subject of their time. I know from doing volunteer work down the years as varied as teaching Sunday school, helping out at a radio station for blind and partially sighted people or organising charity fundraising events, that volunteering can be hugely enjoyable as well as rewarding. From a caring role, where a volunteer can make a world of difference for an individual person to a charity campaigning whose actions can change help the world, volunteers have a vital role in Scotland today and I congratulate Volunteers’ week for paying tribute to their success.”

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

Inspiring and Celebrating Volunteers Week Volunteers’ Week is the annual celebration of the fantastic contribution that millions of volunteers like you make across Scotland every day. Up and down, over and across the nation, from Thurso to Tioram , from Clydebank to Coldstream volunteers are going about their business playing a major role in the life of the nation. To celebrate Volunteers Week, Focus Scotland asked members of the Scottish Parliament if they would like to say a few words about volunteers and their role in our public life. WILLIE RENNIE MSP LEADER OF SCOTTISH LIB DEMS AREA: MID SCOTLAND & FIFE REGION

“Scotland’s volunteers make an immeasurable contribution across all sectors of society. Volunteers and voluntary groups make a direct impact on the growth of Scotland’s economy, the wellbeing of its citizens and the improvement of its public services. The flexible, personal approach of the voluntary sector holds the key to tackling many social issues such as deprivation, not least because voluntary organisations reach many hard to reach parts of society. Responsive and effective services are best delivered when they are under local control and Scottish Liberal Democrats want to establish a culture of innovation across all public services. I believe that the voluntary sector has a hugely important role to play in this; when local people are given the power to design and control their services then it results in innovation, better services and lower costs.

JOHANN LAMONT MSP LEADER OF SCOTTISH LABOUR AREA: GLASGOW POLLOK

“Many of the services we rely on everyday are only possible because of the dedicated and kind-hearted volunteers who give up their own time to help others. The value of the work and effort they put in to make our communities better places is beyond estimate and without them many of our lives would be a great deal poorer. Volunteers Week is a fantastic opportunity to bring some welcome focus to the work being done by these volunteers and a chance for us to give a collective thanks for the work they do.”

I want to use this opportunity to thank the volunteers across Scotland’s communities who reach out to help others and to make Scotland a better place.”

FOCUS SCOTLAND | 33

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

CLARE ADAMSON MSP AREA: CENTRAL SCOTLAND

“Volunteers play a really important part in our communities in so many diverse and wonderful ways. This was very evident to me as a member of the Organising Committee of the International Children’s Games held in Lanarkshire in 2011. The team of friendly and helpful volunteers played a vital role in ensuring the success of Lanarkshire’s International Children’s Games. The dedication, effort and time commitment of the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who signed up was key to ensuring that the thousands of visitors who came to Lanarkshire for the Children’s Games had the best possible experience.”

JOHN MASON MSP AREA: GLASGOW SHETTLESTON

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”.

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GIL PATERSON MSP AREA: CLYDEBANK & MILNGAVIE

“It is not an exaggeration to say that Scotland would grind to a halt without volunteers and that’s why I fully support Volunteers Week. Scotland’s volunteers are an army of unsung heroes whose contribution to society simply cannot be accurately measured. Whether it’s the 100,000 young carers looking after a relative, those running organisations such as football and youth clubs, Brownies or Guides leaders, those who help disabled and the elderly cope with day-to-day life, people who help out in charity shops or lay people who sit on the Children’s Panel, we owe them all an enormous debt.”

DREW SMITH MSP AREA: GLASGOW

“Volunteers Week is a great opportunity for us all to celebrate the individuals across Scotland who dedicate time out to make a difference. Volunteers make an invaluable contribution to our society, whether this is improving the physical appearance of our local areas or supporting the most vulnerable in our society. Many charities are only able to carry out the work they do with the support of volunteers.”

FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

JACKIE BAILLIE MSP AREA: DUMBARTON

AILEEN MCLEOD MSP AREA: SOUTH SCOTLAND

“Volunteers play a vital role economically and socially in communities the length and breadth of the country, and is hugely significant within Scottish life. Volunteer’s week is much needed to highlight the hard work by the thousands of volunteers across the country. All too often that work goes unnoticed but hopefully this week can go some way to showing the gratitude that is deserved.”

Integration of Adult Health and Social Care in Scotland

his Scottish Government consultation provides an opportunity for scrutiny of Scottish Ministers’ plans for integration of adult health and social care across the country. It sets out proposals to inform and change the way that the National Health Service in Scotland and Scottish Local Authorities work together and in partnership with the third and independent sectors. Proposals include; •

•

Changes to how adult health and social care services are planned and delivered, aiming towards a seamless experience from the perspective of the patient, service user or carer. It also outlines improvements to integrating health and social care services which are not limited to older people, but extend to all adult health and social care services.

The consultation asks for views on new legislation that will be introduced in order to enable the changes that Ministers propose. A partial equalities impact assessment (EQIA) and partial business regulatory impact assessment (BRIA) has been incorporated within the document. The Scottish Government welcomes feedback on the equalities impact of the proposals presented, and the effect they may have on different sectors of the population. They also welcome views regarding the impact that the proposals may have on businesses. For more information on how to participate contact our Policy & Knowledge team or view the Scottish Government website. Consultation: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ Publications/2012/05/6469 Closing date: 31/07/2012 FOCUS SCOTLAND | 35

Oxfam Water Week 2012: Time to Act FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

OXFAM WATER WEEK:

TIME TO ACT!

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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

ater is an inevitable part of our life, but is a scarce resource. Nevertheless, we take it for granted, we waste it and we undervalue it because we are blissfully unaware of the reality and of the significance of this unique natural resource. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 3, availability of water resources and their management are determinants of a country’s growth strategy. Reflecting the current water scenario, the report estimates that more than 1 billion people living in arid and semi arid parts of the world have access to little or no renewable water resources, and by 2030, 47% of the world population will be living in areas of high water stress. This implies that if we want to secure a better future for us, and our generations to follow, we need to act now. People should be made aware to manage and control this natural resource in a sustainable and efficient way. We need involvement of young people in such global issues, and Oxfam is playing a significant role in this. Oxfam, which is a global movement of people working with others to overcome poverty and suffering, initiated a UK–wide initiative, termed as Oxfam Water Week. The week provides an opportunity to young people to learn about global issues as water vulnerability, to develop their skills and values as active global citizens, and inspires them to make a real difference to the world.

In 2011, Oxfam Water week helped children in Mali gain better access to water and education. The fundraising activities to raise the money for these projects in Mali took place across the UK, and the week involved 16,000 pupils in England, Scotland and Wales. In 2012, the week will support a project in Niger. In Banibangou region of South West Niger most people are farmers or cattle herders, who are entirely dependent on water for their crops and livestock. However, rains have been meagre, and people’s health and income have come under threat, and poverty is deepening. Here Oxfam is working to empower communities to take control of and manage natural resources in an efficient and sustainable way. Let us also become a part of this initiative, and choose how we can contribute.

In Scotland the week will be celebrated from 11th to 17th June to support the cause, and getting involved is simple. The week has been designed so that both primary and secondary schools can take part. Young people are inspired to Learn, Think Act.

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LEARN: Participation in Oxfam Water week presents a range of educational benefits for students.

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THINK: Young people are inspired to develop their critical thinking skill, and be empowered.

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ACTION: Young people are encouraged to decide their own course of action to make a difference which could include fundraising or putting pressure on political leaders to contribute.

Teachers can assist the young ones by using free teaching resources available online. So what are your plans for Oxfam Water week this year? If you want to organise a successful Water Week in your school, you may register online for Oxfam Water Week to access all their Water Week lesson plans, teaching resources, video clips, class activities, and fundraising and campaigning guides. You may also download the Oxfam Water Week information booklet to guide your students better. Though Oxfam Water Week has been developed in partnership with teachers, yet if you are not a teacher but you know young people who may be inspired by taking part in the week, you can still help them get involved by passing on the information about the week to child’s teacher, youth leader, or school governor, for which, the information and assistance is available on the website. Let us all understand the significance of this week and take the first step to get involved. This could be to visit the Oxfam Water Week web page -http:// www.oxfam.org.uk/Waterweek. This week could mark the beginning, but there is a lot we can achieve, locally and globally. This is a time of reflection, of understanding, of taking charge of the situation and acting meaningfully, for we can be the harbingers of a better world. Let us get started! FOCUS SCOTLAND | 37

FOCUS ON: POLITICS

ALRIGHT BILL!

cotland took another step forward recently in decision making on a new raft of policies after the Westminster Parliament completed the final stages of the new Scotland Bill. So, what does this Bill actually mean, it allows the Scottish Parliament to have limited taxation powers over income tax, limited taxation on land transaction and landfill taxes and some powers to borrow for capital purposes. In addition, it also devolves responsibility for regulation of air weapons, powers to set drink driving and speed limits and introduces a new procedure for Scottish criminal cases to be considered by the UK Supreme Court. Following negotiations the Scottish Government reached agreement with the UK Government to remove perceived damaging aspects of the Bill, particularly on the implementation of the financial provisions. For some the debate on Scotland’s future has already moved on from the provisions in the Bill to what increased powers the Scottish Parliament will have in the future. The Scottish Government believes that independence would provide the greatest opportunity for Scotland to flourish, and will make that case for the referendum on the nation’s future in autumn 2014. Bruce Crawford MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy, said: “We welcome the additional responsibilities for 38 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

the Scottish Parliament in the Scotland Bill. Work is well underway on how these new responsibilities will be exercised to the benefit of the people of Scotland. “However, the Bill does not meet the aspirations of the people of Scotland - that is clear from the result of the 2011 elections to Holyrood; and from all the opinion poll and survey evidence. For example, under the Bill the Scottish Parliament will only be responsible for about 16% of taxes raised in Scotland leaving 84% with Westminster. Already all political parties, civic Scotland and the Scottish people are looking beyond the Bill. The debate will now start in earnest on Scotland’s constitutional future, leading to a referendum in autumn 2014. It is clear that our preference is Independence – it is now the responsibility of the anti-independence parties to explain their proposals for the future devolution of responsibilities before the referendum in autumn 2014” On behalf of the Westminster Government the Prime Minister David Cameron MP said: “We made a very clear promise that we would go ahead with this Bill, which is the biggest act of fiscal devolution in Scotland’s history, to give the Scottish Parliament far more responsibility to raise the money that it spends, and we have delivered on that promise. So this is a great day for Scotland, a great day for the Scottish Parliament and a day when the Government can put its hand on its heart and say we promised something and we delivered it.”

FOCUSFOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING ON: POLITICS

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jennifer davidson

sports development volunteer

STAR APPEAL

Rolling out the red carpet for volunteers throughout Scotland If you would like to be a star in your community visit louise anne geddes www.volunteerscotland.org .uk contact us on 0141 941 0886 or text Volunteer to 80800