FOCUS: S COT L A N D
Summer 2016
THE MAGAZINE FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THE THIRD SECTOR IN SCOTLAND
The big
N O I T A R B E CEL CLYDEBANK TOWN HALL 7th June 2pm - 6pm
To celebrate Volunteers’ Week The Big Celebration, WDCVS invite you to come along and share an afternoon with us. Our event at Clydebank Town Hall will give you the ideal opportunity to meet over 20 organisations and groups looking for volunteers. The event will feature: • • • •
Dementia Awareness Introductory Sessions A Big Fit Walk Open event at our Allotment between 2 – 4pm Volunteers available to answer any questions on volunteering
0141 941 0886
volunteering@wdcvs.com
wdcvs
West Dunbartonshire
FOCUS ON: WHATS INSIDE
Inside...
EDITOR Selina Ross DESIGN Ritchie Marshall PHOTOGRAPHY Daren Borzynski NEWS TEAM Ritchie Marshall Daren Borzynski
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ESV
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VOLUNTEERS WEEK
… Learn more about the Volunteer Scotland initiative.
… Volunteer stories to celebrate Volunteers week.
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WAGING WAR ON LITTER
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SCOTTISH CYCLING
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DEVELOPING YOUNG WORK FORCE
… find out more about the WDCVS/ Zero Waste Scotland Upload Litter Project.
… Volunteer and support the growth in cycling.
… Find out how you can get involved.
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: VOLUNTEERING
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mployer supported volunteering (ESV) has recently taken the spotlight across the UK – and beyond! Last year, the Conservatives pledged in their general election manifesto to give public and private sector staff an entitlement to three paid volunteering days each year. In November 2015 the CIPD published joint research with the Institute of Volunteering Research and NCVO to consider how sustainable partnerships can be built between companies and voluntary organisations. Here in Scotland the Scottish Volunteering Forum, which brings together volunteering organisations from across the country, has highlighted ESV as a key priority for their work. So why is everyone talking about ESV? The CIPD research, On the brink of a game-changer? highlights that the number of people taking part in employer supported volunteering opportunities has increased in recent years, even before the Government potentially intervenes, and there is therefore a need to ensure ESV is mutually beneficial for employers and voluntary organisations. ESV has been a focus of Volunteer Scotland’s work for the last two years. Over that time we’ve spoken to employers, volunteer involving organisations and volunteers themselves about their experience of ESV. This has highlighted the importance of involving all three groups to make ESV as effective as possible and to ensure there are real benefits for all involved. Through our work so far, we’ve learned about the many different practical and strategic approaches taken by 4 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
Volunteer Scotland and SSE – Employer Supported Volunteering employers to involve their staff in community activities. There are many different reasons for developing ESV programmes, from identifying sustainable ways to support local communities, to offering a new approach to staff learning and workforce development. We’re also talking to volunteer involving organisations about the benefits and challenges of ESV including both team activities and engaging individual volunteers on a one-off basis. We’ve learned that each employer does things differently, but there are also common threads, similar practices and consistent challenges. There are even surprising similarities between managing ESV for a business and managing volunteering in the charity sector. For example, we’ve seen that the delivery of ESV is under-resourced with little or no allocated budget and that managers can feel quite isolated – not so dissimilar to wider volunteer management! We’ve also heard familiar challenges from both employers and volunteer involving organisations about the practicalities of making ESV happen. For example, if a team of employees have signed up to paint a community hall for a local charity, who’s responsible for providing the paint? We’re therefore focusing our work at Volunteer Scotland on finding ways to overcome these challenges and support the delivery of ESV. We’re developing key tools and setting up a new best practice network, to share learning and also identify ways to make ESV straightforward to manage and enjoyable for volunteers.
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING Our main tool is Investing in Volunteers for Employers (IiVE). This is a UK quality standard that recognises good practice in ESV. It can be used by any employer in any sector to evaluate current practice, develop new ways of working and celebrate effective ESV delivery. We’re currently talking with our counterpart organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland about the best way to deliver IiVE across the UK, for example to support employers with bases across the country who would like to achieve the award.
organisations across Europe to look at how ESV is delivered, to identify similarities and differences and to share learning. Together with our colleagues in Europe, we’ve also developed a workbook to enable employers and voluntary organisations to set up successful ESV opportunities and manage them effectively. The EVEN workbook has been met with positive feedback from all sides with recognition of the value of this toolkit for anyone managing ESV programmes.
We’ve also created a network of employers in Scotland who are willing to share best practice and make ESV as effective as possible for all involved. We’re talking to a number of employers who are willing to get together, share their experience and agree next steps to improve the ESV experience. Volunteer Scotland’s role is to facilitate the conversation to enable employers to learn from one another and take forward a new approach to ESV in Scotland. Volunteer Scotland and SSE have been working in partnership since September 2015. The focus for our work is to pilot IiVE in Scotland, allowing us to share learning amongst employers, employees and volunteer involving organisations, and to develop new ways to measure the impact of ESV. Building on SSE’s ‘Be the difference’ campaign, which encourages staff to support community projects through volunteering, the partnership between Volunteer Scotland and SSE has created a springboard for discussion around ESV for other companies and third sector organisations. Over the past five years SSE employees have supported over 2,600 community projects and contributed 27,884 days of support through the company’s volunteering programme, which encourages employees to support local projects by using one day a year, to lend a helping hand in their community. We’re hoping to continue our partnership into a second year, to continue developing SSE’s own ESV programme and to lead the best practice network for Scotland. The employers who are taking part in the work we’re doing include ScotRail and Prudential, among others. We’re also aiming to increase the number of employers in the best practice network, as well as the number of volunteer involving organisations involved – so please do get in touch if you’d like to join us. Volunteer Scotland is also a founding member of the Employee Volunteering European Network (EVEN). We’ve working with equivalent volunteering
The workbook includes key questions such as why offer ESV opportunities, who’s responsible for what in managing the programme, and how will you measure the impact of ESV? Finding answers to the questions is ideally a starting point towards more effective delivery for all involved. In February, we ran a successful workshop with volunteer managers in West Dunbartonshire. We shared the highlights and the challenges of delivering ESV from the perspective of the community organisation or charity, and we looked at the EVEN workbook to consider how useful this could be as a tool for greater collaboration with employers. As with employers, there are many common experiences among volunteer managers who offer ESV opportunities and great ideas about how ESV could be developed or delivered more effectively. Following feedback from the volunteer managers at the workshop, including the need to ensure buy-in for the process from organisation leaders, we’re looking forward to formally launching the EVEN workbook in the next few weeks. We’re excited to be starting the conversation about best practice in ESV for Scotland. If you’d like to join us, please get in touch with Jessica or Adrian at Volunteer Scotland - 01786 479593 or hello@volunteerscotland. org.uk FOCUS SCOTLAND | 5
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
DEMENTIA FRIENDLY COMMUNITY
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iven the expected increase in the number of people living with dementia over the next twenty years, especially those with mild to moderate dementia, creating dementia friendly communities that support and sustain people in their homes, neighbourhoods and social networks is an important element of the work which is being undertaken to address the challenges of an ageing population. Dementia Friendly West Dunbartonshire is a community led, multi-agency supported initiative to improve the levels of dementia awareness in our local communities and increase the levels of positive community support offered to people living with dementia and their carers across the area. Activity is coordinated by a strategic management group which includes representatives of West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership, West Dunbartonshire CVS, Scottish Care, West Dunbartonshire Council, Police Scotland, West College Scotland, RNIB and Alzheimer Scotland. But, at its heart Dementia Friendly West Dunbartonshire is all about communities. Dementia Friendly West Dunbartonshire is one of 13 6 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
dementia friendly community initiatives funded by the Life Changes Trust for a period of 3 years. The aim of Dementia Friendly West Dunbartonshire is simple - to promote positive citizenship and help support a change in personal behaviours, at work and across all types of everyday activity, towards members of the community living with dementia to improve their ability to life their lives fully and well in their own communities. • • •
Dementia Friendly West Dunbartonshire is working to four main aims: To improve general awareness of dementia and its impacts across communities To encourage Dementia Friendly shopping areas involving local traders and retailers and supporting them to make sure that they can
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
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provide support to customers if they need it To establish a network of Dementia Awareness trainers throughout the statutory, private and third sector partners in the area To support individuals and organisation to pledge individual actions and service improvements and enhancements which could improve the quality of life for those people living with dementia across West Dunbartonshire.
JOINT FORCES SUPPORTING DEMENTIA FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES
Over the three year period, Dementia Friendly Communities will be established in each of the 22 natural neighbourhoods of West Dunbartonshire. Faifley was chosen as the pilot area and the work
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olleagues from Police Scotland are key partners in the Dementia Friendly West Dunbartonshire initiative and have been very active members of the working groups throughout the development and roll out of the programme of activities.
undertaken there has given a strong model for future roll-out. In the coming year development work will be taking place in Bellsmyre, Dalmuir, Gartocharn, Old Kilpatrick, Milton and within the West College Scotland campus. The development model is very light touch and inclusive and involves making links with a number of targeted key neighbourhood level organisations and services, a launch event offering local residents the chance to come along and find out more, distributing information leaflets, visiting local traders and businesses and hosting a series of up to 20 local awareness raising sessions. These sessions last 2 hours and are provided by our network of dementia ambassadors. Brian Polding-Clyde, a key member of the DFWD initiative said, “ The awareness sessions are a great opportunity for people to learn a bit more and to think what could I do. Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of confidence to take a step forward and ask if you can help. We’re here to help people to do that.” A new website providing links and resources will be launched in June and can be found at www.dementiawestdun.org
A number of training sessions were delivered to officers earlier in the year, in Dumbarton Police Office to raise awareness throughout the organisation. The sessions were well supported and arising from one of the sessions, officers suggested that it would be useful to have access to information leaflets which they could use whilst on the beat and leave with members of the public. With the support of local liaison officer Constable Colin Macmillan and some Police colleagues who themselves had lived experience of the impact of dementia, a small working group got together and have designed and developed a key information sheet which will be piloted by Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue over the next few months. The leaflet provides information on signs and symptoms of dementia and provides a range of hints and tips on speaking clearly, body language and managing changes. The leaflet also contains contact details for a range of local and national supports which could be accessed. The pilot will run until the end of the year. If successful, it is hoped that the leaflet could be shared with colleagues throughout Scotland.
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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
Building
DEMENTIA FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES
People with dementia may visit your organisation, shop, business or workplace. Sometimes they will need extra assistance to help them to use your services. Here are some simple tips that may help you to make your business a dementia friendly environment.
1 Speak Clearly
3 Listen
Speak clearly, calmly and slowly to allow the person time to understand information. Be aware the person you are speaking to may have a hearing difficulty. Use simple short sentences and avoid direct questions. Keep choices to a minimum and don’t raise your voice.
Listen carefully to what the person has to say, giving plenty of encouragement, whilst looking out for other clues of what they may be trying to communicate.
Where possible talk in a noise free, non-distracting place or find a quiet corner. If the person finds it difficult to find a word, then you could suggest one...but be careful not to interrupt or finish the sentence for them.
2 Body Language People with dementia may find it difficult to understand what is being said but can be quick to interpret the message on people’s faces and may still be aware of the body language. Smile warmly, make eye contact, make sure you are at the person’s level, use a friendly tone and respect personal space. 8 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
4 Show respect and patience Adapt what you are saying if the person with dementia does not understand it. Allow them time to find the words to tell you what they want. Don’t rush and try to go at their pace.
5 Noise A person with dementia may have difficulty listening if there are a lot of different noises around them. Reduce unnecessary noise or move to a quieter area.
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
6 Lighting
11 Making Choices
Make sure the lighting is sufficient so the person with dementia can see you and everything around them clearly. Turn up the lights or move to a well-lit area.
While choice is good for someone with dementia too much choice can be confusing. Ask what the person would like, e.g. a coffee, and then suggest two or three likely options.
7 Help with handling money
You could describe these options and remember to give a pause in between each option to allow them to think and make a decision.
Counting money, calculating and handling change, recognising coins and banknotes and knowing the value of money can all be very difficult for someone with dementia. Offer to help by counting out the money and giving a receipt.
12 Whose reality
8 Finding the way
The person may be confused and say something that does not make sense to you. Avoid making the person feel embarrassed or foolish by contradicting them. Try to find a way around the situation.
People with dementia may have forgotten where things are or they may not recognise everyday objects. They may need you to help them to find their way around. They may not be able to follow simple directions and need you to guide them to where they want to go.
13 Being predictable
9 Feeling Lost
Try and arrange that the same person supports the person every time they visit your business but remember they might not remember you or what you talked about the last time you met.
Sometimes people with dementia may feel lost in familiar places or forget where they live. If someone is lost and distressed offer to help by asking if their address is on something they might have in their pocket or bag. If necessary the police can help.
10 Recognising and finding things People with dementia may have forgotten what they came into the shop for, or they may have a list, but have problems finding the things they want. Offer to help with finding things on the list if they have one. Help them to choose the right amount of things, particularly if they seem to be buying an unusually large amount of something.
The person with dementia may be confused if things have been rearranged or by new people they meet. Try to keep things the same or offer additional assistance if things have changed.
14 Every day can be different For some people with dementia what they can do changes from day to day so how you help them may need to be different every time they visit. Look out for signs and offer help when needed.
For more information: Go to website: www.dementiawestdun.org Call LinkUp 0141 280 0129 or Alz Scot Centre 0141 410 5306 Or use the Dementia Helpline: 0808 808 3000 (24 hours) signs and offer help when needed. Go to website: www.alzscot.org FOCUS SCOTLAND | 9
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
FACTS AND FIGURES • • •
Walking is described as the perfect exercise by health professionals and has many benefits. Walking requires no special equipment or expense and is the ideal way for most people to become more active. Health walks are targeted at inactive people who would benefit most from doing more physical activity.
The Scottish Health Survey 2010 The Scottish Government, Edinburgh 2011
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The proportions of men and women meeting the recommended activity levels varied significantly with age. Among men, the proportions meeting the recommendations fell from 66% of those aged 16-24 to 10% of those aged 75 and over. Among women, the proportion meeting the recommendations increased with age until 35-44 (45%), before declining to 7% of women aged 75 and over.
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44% of adults had participated in sporting activities in the previous four weeks.
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Sports participation decreased with age from 68% of those aged 16-24 to 13% of those aged 75 and over.
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The most common sporting activities for adults were working out at a gym/exercise bike/weight training (15%), doing exercises (e.g. press-ups, sit ups) (14%), swimming (12%) and running/jogging (11%).
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Men were more likely than women to have been running/jogging
eep 13th June free in your diary for the biggest health walk of the year. The Big Fit Walk is now in its eleventh year and over 300 walks took place across Scotland in 2015. In 2016 Paths for All want your help to make it bigger and better and aims to get as many Scots as possible walking in their local area. Being active through walking has many benefits. It’s good for physical health, mental wellbeing, and helps to develop social links. •
Walking is also an activity that most people can do. Being active (this includes walking) for 30 minutes a day, on five days a week or more, can have a big impact on the number of health issues, including:
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Reduce the risk of heart disease by half
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Reduce the risk of some cancers
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Reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
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Improves mental health and reduces the risk of depression
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Increases energy
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Can make you feel fitter and better about yourself
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Can help manage your weight
The official walk day is 13 June but walks can be held any day in June, so look out for your local walk or find more information on the Paths for All website.
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Walking is free, accessible... and it’s FUN
http://www.pathsforall.org.uk/bigfitwalk
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Be active, get healthy, have fun! The Big Fit Walk is free, easy, and lots of fun – especially when you bring a friend. Young, old, fast, slow – it doesn’t matter.
It’s not a race, it’s about having fun and staying healthy. Fresh air, a walk, and a chat. Hey, it could become a regular thing. And the best bit? Everyone – absolutely everyone – is welcome. See you there! Join the big conversation. We’d love to see your photos and hear your stories. You can share them with us on social media.
@pathsforall
/PathsforAllScotland
FOR A HAPPIER, HEALTHIER SCOTLAND
Paths for All Partnership is a registered Scottish charity No. SC025535. Copyright © 2014 Paths for All
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING
Focus on: David Kennedy Hello, my name is David Kennedy. I am 65 years old and I retired just about a year ago. I worked for a local company, Polaroid, for over 30 years, and when I left there in 2004 I worked for 4 years in Clydebank College. In my final years of employment I was working in a company over in Hillington in customer service roles. I did a lot of traveling with Polaroid, which was great, and I also got involved in organising the annual Polaroid 10K Road Race Series, which is the longest running 10K series in the UK, now in its 30th year. I was very happy to be involved in helping that to grow for 25 years, and I also got involved organising events for the company which gave me my interest in volunteering and getting involved in things both when I was still working in the latter part of the years and also now that I’ve retired. I was the race director at Polaroid for many years and helped to grow the series. We focused on giving the runners who would pay money to enter the road race series an event that at the end of the day, they would say that they found it really professionally handled. We made sure it was safe and they really got good value 12 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
and had a good time. We initially looked at other races to see how they did things, the London Marathon, the Great North Run and in fact we even had Brendan Foster’s organisation, who organise the Great North Run, contact us asking how do we do what we are doing, how do we offer what we were offering. As the race series developed, we were getting around 1000 runners at each race, and we still do. It’s great to see that it has continued into its 30th year and has grown in popularity each time. I’ve come to understand in my time in the last few years in volunteering, that it is often the lifeblood of many organisations. With the Polaroid races we relied
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING on volunteers to help us steward the events, we would invite all sorts of local organisations to help. Tullochan Trust, Army Cadets, Air Cadets and local football teams would come along as part of their community work to get involved and help us provide a safe, well organised event. I continued to volunteer with the Polaroid race series even after leaving my job there, and at the 25th year anniversary, 5 years ago, I decided to step down as the race director. But I continue to go along and stay involved and help in any way I can when I’m asked. I’ve since gone on to volunteer a few organisations over last few years. I’ve volunteered with St Margaret’s Hospice in Clydebank. Each year they organise a midnight walk and they bring in volunteers that turn up on a Saturday night in September to help; around 500-600 women take part in the walk raising thousands of pounds. If you didn’t have the volunteers, organisations that depend on raising funds to stay in place and to keep/provide their services wouldn’t be able to do it.
boring into mine, I asked if he was alright, he replied, “Aye big man, it was sad at the end…you were greetin weren’t you?” and that brought a tear and a smile to my heart, it was wonderful, and that’s what I get from it. We also work with a couple of the adult ward in the hospital, the stroke ward and the spinal ward. I remember last November, I was walking along chatting to this guy that I was just bringing along from the stroke ward, he was in his 70’s, just a little bit older than me. I asked him if he was looking forward to seeing the James Bond film, Spectre. He said “Yes, it’s the first time I’ve been out the ward in 3 months”… and he did enjoy it, he raved about it. See the kick that gives you, it’s fantastic.
I also get involved with other events. I volunteered with Macmillan Cancer Support at last year’s Glasgow half marathon and that was a superb event. I volunteer over at the new Glasgow Children’s Hospital with their charity, the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity that was previously Yorkhill. I have a friend in the hospital that runs MediCinema, It’s a UK wide organization that brings Cinema to children and adults in Hospital. There is a cinema in the new children’s hospital that is all paid by the charity - I volunteer there for 1 or 2 nights a week. I go along and my role after being through the necessary clearance procedures of Disclosure Scotland’s PVG and Moving & Handling training is to bring the wee ones from their wards to the cinema and back again. It’s hard at times. I’ve got a new grandson in the last year and when I see wee one’s at his age in hospital and the wee kids coming to see a movie and I know it might be the only time that they have been out of that ward in weeks and their faces just light up, it’s absolutely magic. We brought a little lad about 8 years old along to watch a film recently. I asked him his name; he said, “Aaron, and I’m a bit mental”. He’s a wee Glasgow boy; great patter and he went in to watch the film. I wasn’t sitting beside him, I sat a few seats away from him during the movie, it was The Good Dinosaur, and this wee boy talked incessantly through the movie and there is a sad bit in the movie. At the end, I was standing waiting to take him back to his ward and I could feel his eyes
I recently got involved with the Up-Load litter photovoice project run by West Dunbartonshire CVS. I volunteer in the area I live and walk through day in and day out. I’ve really enjoyed that, and taking pictures has made me see litter in a whole new light because there are things there that have been sitting for weeks. Things that people discard, and while there is a good clean up that appears to be taking place some small items go missed like wee plastic forks. I recently found a phone and handed into police in Dumbarton, just sitting on a bench, obviously sitting there since the night before. I enjoy volunteering, I really do, It gives new perspective on things. I enjoy organising and I enjoy getting involved in events. I would like to do more of that, encouraging people at events like the Kiltwalk. I know what it was like myself when I was jogging, and 25 minutes behind the leader running along, and there’s one person standing down the street and they say to you, “c’mon big man you can make it!” FOCUS SCOTLAND | 13
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING
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est Dunbartonshire Link Up supports older people to live well in the community. Run by the West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Community and Volunteering Service (CVS) , Link Up relies on highly trained volunteers – all aged 55 years and over – to help people in the community to access services and support through a single point of contact. It depends on the trust and confidence of older people as volunteers: whose existing community contacts and expertise have been harnessed to create a community-wide web of intelligence and knowledge on the range and type of supports available across West Dunbartonshire. Megan, from Faifley in West Dunbartonshire, volunteers with the Link Up service. She explains why the service is so important to her and to older people living in the community: “With the Link Up Service it’s people just like me that gain from it. It’s frustrating when you’re trying to find local information about a service, then you call and have to wait and listen to an automated message before you get anywhere. With Link Up, it’s great just to pick up the phone and immediately speak to a helpful voice at the other end who can give support and advice straight away. Through experience, we know the people and services to direct callers to, so we can help them in a much quicker and friendlier way.’ Megan knows first-hand how some of the people who phone up for support feel, with one elderly lady saying: ‘My accident was really bad luck, I was playing bowls with my friends, I had started to play to get out more and take some exercise. I walked into a ditch and twisted my foot; the bone in my ankle came out! It wasn’t very pleasant. 14 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
Focus on:
Megan Harrison After the accident I couldn’t move my leg for eight months as it was in a cast; I could walk a little bit with the aid of a zimmer but couldn’t even boil a kettle or pour out a hot drink. It was a very boring time of my life. When the cast came off I contacted Link Up and they put me in touch with some fantastic people from the COPT (the Integrated Community Older People’s Team). The staff there taught me to walk first on two and now one crutch, to go up and down stairs and helped me to get out of the flat. But I had got myself into a rut and sitting around at home. As a widow I was alone, except for my dog, often driving my daughter mad. She persuaded me to think about starting volunteering again and she was right”. Megan added: “When I heard about Link Up I thought it might really suit me. I already knew some of the staff from being part of the Community Council in my area and I knew a bit about CVS. I also understand what it’s like to need some company and support.
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING
I gain a lot of self-worth from volunteering with the Link Up Service. Being around other people is really important – I feel like I’m part of a family here. I’ve loved it ever since I started and it’s so rewarding to say that I’m helping out with an important service. The fact that Link Up has now won so many awards and I’ve been able to go to the ceremonies and talk to people about the service has been amazing.
Background on West Dunbartonshire Link Up West Dunbartonshire Link Up was developed as a key element of the Reshaping Care For Older People’s local Change Fund Programme. It has been devised and supported as a partnership between the now West Dunbartonshire Health & Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and West Dunbartonshire Community and Volunteering Service (WDCVS). Link Up provides “one stop shop” access – through a single point of contact – for local older people and their carers to a coordinated range of HSCP and third sector services, including Carers of West Dunbartonshire, Lomond and Clyde Care and Repair and Shop-Mobility. Key objectives of Link Up are to ensure local older people and their carers: • •
Link Up promotes the independence of the volunteers. We stay active and participate in our own communities. The West Dunbartonshire HSCP and CVS have provided us all with training so that we understand what the supports and services are available within our communities. I’ve now started befriending too and also do telephone befriending, so when I am working at Link Up I can talk to those who don’t want visits but like a blether. Personally, this has helped me and I feel that I can help others. I want to continue here for a good while yet.”
• • •
Have easy access to information that will support them to make informed decisions about their own future Feel more secure, more cared for, and have access to a better quality of life Have better access assistance that helps them self-manage their conditions and remain in their own homes Feel part of a supportive enabling community Influence and participate in future service provision
Link Up is widely promoted through a range of statutory, non-statutory and commercial outlets including GP surgeries, voluntary organisations, local shops, Post Office and supermarkets. Link Up is staffed by trained volunteers, aged 55 years plus, from the community and from a wide selection of partners in West Dunbartonshire – so is a good example of co-production and community capacity building in practice. West Dunbartonshire Link Up has been recognised with the following national awards: • •
For more information about West Dunbartonshire Link Up contact: http://www.wdcvs.com or call 0141 941 0886
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The ‘Working with Local Communities’ category at the 2014 Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Care Accolades Awards The 2014 Self-Management Project of the Year for the Health and Care Alliance Scotland Awards 2014 The Gold Award in the Local Matters Category at the 2015 COSLA Excellence Awards FOCUS SCOTLAND | 15
Recycle What? FOCUS ON: FRONTLINE
RECYCLING HOME AND AWAY
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FOCUS ON: FRONTLINE 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.
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
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.
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?
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
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. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 17
FOCUS ON: FRONTLINE
WAGING WAR ON LITTER
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campaign roadshow to help promote the impact of litter and fly tipping on local communities has recently taken place throughout West Dunbartonshire. The project co-ordinated by Third Sector Interface West Dunbartonshire CVS in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland seen Volunteers take part in a Photovoice project using local photography images to tell the story of how litter impacts on the lives of themselves and their neighbours. As part of the project volunteers have taken over 3000 images across 6 transect areas in West Dunbartonshire and have written impact stories with the aim to help change attitudes toward litter and help make West Dunbartonshire a better place to visit and live in. The roadshow highlighting a selection of the images, attitudes and opinions took place across a number of libraries, schools and public buildings over the spring months. Zero Waste Scotland’s Project Manager for Litter and Fly tipping, Emma Leel said: “This is an innovative and thought-provoking project from West Dunbartonshire CVS, which really shines a light on the issue of litter and how it affects us all. 18 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
“Litter is a blight on our society. By engaging with the West Dunbartonshire community, we can work to change negative behaviour and tackle the problem in our local areas.” WDCVS project lead Daren Borzynski said: “We would like to thank Zero Waste Scotland for supporting the project and the tireless team of volunteers who captured over 3000 images in all types of weather.” “It was important to capture the views of people living with litter every day and this project presented us with the perfect platform to ensure the issue receives the attention it deserves” If you would like to get involved in a litter pick or environmental project in West Dunbartonshire, please contact WDCVS on 0141 941 0886 or email volunteering@wdcvs.com
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
My befrien der & mys elf like to when the walk we other bird ather is nice. Somet along the Quaysid e in Dumba s are swoo imes it ca n be very ping down behind. It difficult wh rton, especially to makes ne en seagul nervous an see what is in the ls and litter that d I worry ot that I coul Please do d fall again her people leave not leave . litter for th e birds.
. We are tourist area ch Park a popular ugh Ballo rld and is ro th wo g e in th Walk rt of totally Lomond. autiful pa here which e most be ountains and Loch und everyw living here. I live in th y can be fo lls, m o jo hi en po by o g d surrounde streets litter and do ts other people wh cal upse vernment or even lo e area and Scottish go more look of th k s and the spoils the and I thin cal council nore this n from lo ig be needed io to at ay se isl m choo d leg ation blicity an selfish few and tougher legisl There is pu oblem however a es lti pr ger pena about this and stron education publicity, through. message e th t ge to
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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
on cleaning ney wasted
The mo
wn a drain. is money do respect the ly e would on es if everyon rtant servic g and litter
up fly-tippin
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re im spent on mo It could be e in. town the liv
Near Erskine Ferry Road in Old Kilpatric canal. It is a k pretty spot, popular with there are two picnic tab drinkers of Ten les overlookin walke ne g the immediate sig nt’s lager. Used cans are rs and cyclists. It is also popu thrown down ht, and the pla happens de the slope, som lar with stic wrappin spite the fac g etimes out of dis carded in a sim t that there picnic tables ilar are fashion. This recycling bin . The most I have collected s just a few fee Tennent’s lag t away from at er cans and the they all subseq that spot on a single occ It makes me asi uently went sad that the re are some into the recycl on was 91 such a mann people who ing bin. er and make dis respect the the ‘pretty spo suggests laz environment iness and ‘it’s t’ look ugly for in somebody els other people. looking neat e’s job/respo and tidy. Als nsibility’ to kee This behaviour o, one less for p their local the wee anim for me every can picked area up and bagg als to get tra as a ‘human’ pp ed species. Un doubtedly, as ed in and die. They deser or recycled is packaging tha a society, we ve better fro n m us generate mo to dispose of ever before but we have re dis not been so it in an appro good at devel posable priate and en oping strate vironmenta gies lly friendly ma nner.
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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
I live in th e surrounde most beautiful pa rt d or even lo by hills, mountai of the world and ns and Lo is cal street s litter an ch Lomon a popular tourist spoils th e look of d dog po area. We d. Walking the area o can be are through and upse found ev Balloch Pa ts erywhere ot There is rk her peop w publicity hi le ch totally w ho enjoy and legisla about th liv in g here. is proble tion from m howev local coun publicity er a selfi , educatio ci ls and the sh fe n to get th Scottish e message and stronger pe w choose to igno nalties an re this an government through. d toughe d r legislatio I think more n may be needed
e week, during th s up in it down to lift the ter build lit nd d be t an spend me I can’ have to d that of my ho me. I’m 82 and in front en e , but they l garden & they don’t se weekend ish we could sp al e sm th a at it urs es e. I w I have t with m e who do r a few ho I never se mily visits me fo y garden and no m y fa litter. M is time cleaning th some of ther. time toge
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FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING
Focus on:
Ena Hurley
Who says that volunteering isn’t in the blood? WDCVS team member Rhona Watson knows that volunteering really does run in the family. Here, she shares her family story with us for Volunteers Week After the First World War many people in society were left with very little in the way of food, goods and income. People helped out their family members and neighbours as much as they could in whatever way they could offer. 22 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
My paternal grandparents and their nine children grew up in Kirkcaldy, Fife with just this scenario. As my aunts and uncles grew up, this kind of informal volunteering became part of their way of life, mainly helping out other members of the family‌ but the seed of volunteering had been planted. Out of the nine aunts and uncles, some went onto being involved in more formalised volunteering
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING over the years in a variety of different ways and with different organisations. Two of my uncles were involved as committee members in local groups, two aunts were involved as shop floor assistants in a charity shop and my Dad was involved as a driver taking disabled people from their homes to a local centre. Another aunt was involved in organising trips and social events with a local elderly peoples group – she continued to bake for their fundraising events into her late 90’s and both her daughters volunteer still with the group. After my Mum retired she volunteered as a ward trolley assistant in the local hospital. From this background it was inevitable that I began volunteering, mainly in campaigning and support organisations, and this led me to my present job working with volunteers in West Dunbartonshire CVS. One of my aunts is still actively volunteering in Kirkcaldy and I met up with her so she could share more about her volunteering journey. Ena Hurley – Volunteer I’m Christina Hurley, I live in Kirkcaldy and I’m 83. I’m a mum; grandma, great grandma and I think a friend too. My husband died in 1986 from cancer and my sister was already working in the cancer research shop that had only opened the year before in Kirkcaldy. She said to me, why don’t I volunteer in the Cancer shop? I had been working in British Homes Stores, but I had a back problem and I had been told to give it up. I had nothing much to do with my day, so I started in 1988 and that’s been 28 year now, and I’m still there. There are a couple of volunteers there that have been there for 31 years, so our volunteers do tend to stay. I volunteer on a Monday morning from 9am to 1.30pm. Of the two ladies that I volunteer with, one has been there for 8 years and the other for 19 years – so we are all long stayers. My sister introduced me to the shop and she was there for around 3 years, but she had bother with her heart and had to give it up, but I just kept it on because I liked it and I enjoy it. For a start, I meet a lot of interesting people, but I hear some poor sob stories too. Myself and the other two ladies I volunteer with on a Monday morning love it when we reach a certain
amount of money in the till… we scream Yes! And the manageress kills herself laughing. If we don’t make that amount, we feel as if we haven’t done so well, we haven’t done what we are supposed to do. I can’t think of any family that hasn’t been in some respect affected by cancer. We have our regulars that come in to the shop. I feel as if we are doing some good, and when we make our target, that’s great. Its not for our benefit that we are raising money, but it’s for the benefit of everybody living with every kind of cancer. It’s definitely a worthwhile cause, and I really enjoy it. With my other time I keep an eye on the great grand children. My youngest daughter Joan is disabled, so I go shopping to help her and some other things during the week. I’m a great reader, and I’m happy to pass the time reading. That’s my life, and I’m quite happy with it. I would definitely recommend volunteering. Get involved in whatever interests you because you do get a lot out of it. For me, I definitely think that I get more back than I give. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 23
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
Focus on: Lily Rogers
S
ince joining the West Dunbartonshire Health Walks, Lily has noticed an increase in her confidence, and a decrease in her weight. This is what Lily had to say about her experience of a Health Walk: “I joined a health walk on the recommendation of a weight management group I was attending; they said it would be good for me to join a health walk or an exercise club.
feel a wee bit nervous but when I met up with the group and got to know everybody, they were very friendly and very encouraging and it’s a lovely group that I’ve joined. I feel very at ease with them I feel that I am more comfortable around people, and I have the confidence to open up and talk to them more, something that I didn’t do before.
I preferred the idea of joining a walking group and the weight management group did some research and found the Paths for All website. They gave me numbers to contact so I could find a group near where I lived, and I picked this one. I had both weight and health problems, they were the main reasons for joining a walk, and since then I’ve lost 2 stone in weight. I also have a lot more energy now for going out and doing other things, other than sitting around the house all the time. The Alexandria walking group is very handy for me to get to and nice to be on local grounds and to meet local people. At first when you come down to meet the group, you 24 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
A lot of people know that I go to the health walk and I’ve told them its been very good and I enjoy it, especially the company that I go out on the health walk with. If anyone ever asked about joining, I would highly recommend it, as it would be the best thing they’ve ever done.”
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING
INVESTING IN VOLUNTEERS IiV is the UK award with a unique focus on volunteering, and is managed in Scotland by Volunteer Scotland. More than 200 organisations, from all over Scotland, have achieved the award; from small local groups to large national organisations. In the UK as a whole, there have been almost 1,000 achievers since IiV was launched in 2004.
development work which will be needed in order to be ready for assessment, and the organisation will have support throughout. When development work is almost completed the assessor will agree a date for the assessment.
Recent achievers in Scotland include - Lothian Community Transport Services, Planning Aid for Scotland, Everything Baby, Young Scot, Braveheart, Aberlour Scotland’s Children’s Charity, Rowan Alba and Bridgend Growing Communities.
After meeting with a selection of staff and volunteers, the assessor prepares a report for submission to the UK wide Quality Assurance panel. Assuming all this has gone to plan, the organisation will have a shiny new plaque on the wall to show everyone that they are recognised among the very best of volunteers’ managers, and will be able to use the IiV logo for 3 years.
In England, Citizens Advice Plymouth, Nottingham Trent Students’ Union and Plymouth Domestic Abuse Services have achieved the award this year. In N Ireland, Laganvalley Regional Park, Foyle Search and Rescue, and in Wales DASU (Domestic Abuse Safety Unit), were awarded IiV last month. The IiV standards are based on good practice principles and cover the four main areas of volunteer management: · · · ·
planning for volunteer involvement; recruiting volunteers; selecting and matching volunteers; supporting and retaining volunteers.
How long does it take and what happens next? To achieve the IiV award, organisations need to be able to demonstrate their commitment to high quality volunteer management and need the support of everyone from volunteers to Board members and staff. It takes about 12 months to be ready for assessment. The first step is an Introductory workshop delivered by the assessor so staff and volunteers get a feel for the IiV standard and understand the process, then the organisation completes a self assessment to map current practice against the standard. This identifies
How much will it cost? For organisations with up to 50 volunteers the minimum fee is £1,000. For larger organisations, the fee is tailored according to the number of volunteers involved. The IiV fee can be paid in instalments to make budgeting easier and for organisations who feel they’re not quite ready to commit to the whole process, Volunteer Scotland now offer Step In to IiV, which costs just £300, and is a first step for organisations who are interested in developing their volunteers’ experience, and management, but don’t feel quite ready to take on the full accreditation yet. This amount covers the introductory workshop at your premises, which takes 2 hours, and feedback on your self assessment This will allow you to identify a development plan which, when completed, will ensure you are ready to go for assessment for the full award if you choose to. If you do choose to complete the process within 12 months of the initial workshop, Volunteer Scotland will deduct the initial £300 from the total fee due at that time. If you are interested in finding out more contact Anne Hislop at Volunteer Scotland on 01786 479593 FOCUS SCOTLAND | 25
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING
C
ycling is an increasingly popular pastime in Scotland and in 2016 Scottish Cycling hit the milestone of 10,000 members and is still growing.
There are so many different disciplines to get involved in: BMX, Mountain Bike, Cyclo-Cross, Road, Track and Cycle Speedway, meaning there is something to suit everyone! Many people use their bike to commute or enjoy going out on a ride on the weekend but an increasing number of people in Scotland love to enter competitions. There is something suitable for everyone whatever your age, gender or ability. In 2015 there were 409 competitive events registered with Scottish Cycling and so far in 2016 we have just as many scheduled in! This is where you come in; each event requires the support of a team of volunteers! Craig Burn CEO Scottish Cycling: Volunteers are an integral part of our sport and without them racing just would not happen. By helping at events from grassroots youth racing and up, they help ensure there is a pathway for individuals with potential to progress and opportunities for those who love riding 26 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
their bike to compete. There is a huge range of opportunities to help out depending on what your skills and interests are and everyone is welcome! Time trials require the support of timekeepers to ensure accuracy of results so would suit people with a good head for numbers and concentration skills. Road races require drivers to help in the convoy, escorting riders and driving the race officials (called Commissaires) during the race. Mountain Biking need marshals to help ensure the
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING safety of races and Track racing require volunteers to help with judging and timing. If you’re interested in supporting your local BMX events, there are lots of ways to help including being a finish line judge. Each discipline also requires Commissaires to help ensure each race is conducted in a safe and fair manner. The opportunities at events are numerous, diverse and flexible!
Ashley Chesham, Education and Training Coordinator at Scottish Cycling, helps to develop event volunteers in Scotland. “Cycling events are currently supported by fantastic teams of volunteers but we are always looking for more help. Not all volunteer roles require knowledge of cycling, and others require some training but all require a good attitude and a willingness to get stuck in! With the 2018 European Championships being staged in Glasgow and Scottish Cycling’s Youth Tour of Scotland growing in popularity each year it’s a great time for new people to get involved in cycling events!”
WORLD BLOOD DONOR DAY JUNE 14TH 2016
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very year on June 14th countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day; the event was established to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank those unpaid voluntary blood donors for taking the time to donate such a lifesaving gift. Transfusions of Blood and Blood products help save Millions of lives every year, helping those suffering from life threatening conditions live longer, as well as supporting complex medical and surgical procedures. Every blood donation is a gift of life. Donating blood is safe, simple and takes only an hour. Every minute of every day someone in Scotland is receiving blood as part of a life-saving or life-enhancing treatment. Yet, only 5% of the population are active blood donors. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) must welcome 5000 blood donors every week to meet the needs of patients in Scotland. Go on, give it a try.
If you want to know more contact Ashley by e-mailing ashley.chesham@scottishcycling.org.uk or get in touch with your local club https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/ clubfinder.
For details of how to donate check out the website www.scotblood.co.uk
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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
GETTING STARTED ON TWITTER
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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
T
witter, Facebook and other social media channels have become part of our daily lives, and have created a whole new method of communication. We discover breaking news on Twitter, we video chat with relatives in different time zones, and watch instant video clips of news and events that have also been viewed by millions of others from all over the globe. An increasing number of people, businesses and news channels are amongst those utilising the power of social media to promote themselves. In our latest social media feature we will take a look at how community groups, charities and third sector organisations can use Twitter and what to do to make sure they are not left behind? Social media enables charities and community groups to build relationships and go about cost-effective campaigning. We’ll show you how to engage with your current supporters, reach out to find new ones and create your organisation’s personality. Twitter asks its users to regularly publish short updates about what they’re doing or thinking. Its users answer the question in less than 140 characters (known as a ‘tweet’) which is published online. They can also use tweets to link to websites and news that they find interesting, and have online conversations by replying to other people’s tweets. The tweets of people you “follow”, which could include many of the world’s most prominent politicians, celebrities and organisations appear in a chronological list known as your timeline. From there, you can reply to tweets, follow links that others have tweeted to interesting news and share your own thoughts. The bite-sized conversation format of the site invites questions, discussions and debate. This makes it ideal for discussing issues relevant to your charity’s or community groups work with other charities, your supporters and other stakeholders. People posting on Twitter can also categorise their tweets in simple ways. This makes it easy to locate people who are discussing issues that your charity may be interested in, and lets you build a relationship with them so that they can become a supporter. Tweeting is a direct line to your community, it instantly connects and empowers people with your message. START TWEETING. If you’re not talking, no one is going to listen. Even if you don’t have many followers at first, tweet away. It will show your potential audience that you have
something to say, and will get you in the habit of regular engagement. PROMOTE YOUR FEED. Make sure your current stakeholders know about this new way to engage with your charity or community group. Announce your Twitter presence on your blog, your newsletter, and any other social media platforms you are already using. Link to your Twitter profile from your website, or even better, display your recent tweets on your homepage. FOLLOW BACK. Not everyone agrees on this point, but remember that Twitter is about conversation. If you are only talking and not listening, that’s not a conversation. When someone follows you or your organisation, follow him or her back. ENGAGE Twitter is not a broadcast medium, it’s a forum for discussion. Treated as such, it is a powerful tool that allows your charity or community group to engage with its audience in new and exciting ways. Done successfully, this engagement will expand your reach, and build support for your organisation in other ways. TWEET REGULARLY. Despite what some may tell you, there are no hard rules for how often you should tweet. Don’t let your Twitter feed turn into a ghost town and don’t tweet so much that you alienate your followers, if you have something interesting to say, say it! CREATE VALUE. The only way to get and keep followers is to be interesting. Share what your charity or community group is doing, what you’re thinking about, and anything else that will increase the value your followers get from your feed. The more value they get from you, the more value you will get from them. RESPOND. It may be obvious, but it’s easy to forget: pay close attention to any messages or mentions of your charity or community group, and be sure to respond to them. If someone gives you a shout-out in one of their tweets, at the very least say thank you, but it’s even better if you can add something to build up the conversation. USE YOUR IMAGINATION. It’s a simple platform that connects people and demolishes barriers to communication. Beyond that, Twitter is what you make of it. Don’t be afraid to try something new.. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 29
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
FACEBOOK FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS & CHARITIES
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FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
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 | 31
FOCUS ON: MONEY
How to get rich quick ...
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kay maybe that was just to get your attention. Sorry! But there is no denying it, we are moving in to a time where the sources of grant funding we’ve all relied on for years are starting to get harder and harder to secure. Cutbacks, changes in grant programmes...they are all taking their toll. So what are you going to do? We can all reduce costs a little but with many costs you just can’t control how quickly they will rise. So how can you ensure you maintain your income levels? Well, you have four options - fundraise, sell yourself, apply for grants or do a little of them all. Diversifying your income base could be the best way to ensure your organisation can survive the recession. And regardless of the size of your organisation, the principles are the same you just have to ensure you are ahead of the game. 32 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
Fundraising... Every organisation at some time in its life has fundraised. Apart from helping raise much needed income, fundraising can be a great way of getting your organisation name and its services better known with people you may never ordinarily reach. Event ‘nights’ are always popular – whether it’s bingo nights, race nights, or quiz nights – and help to bring in a decent sum. Also car boot or table top sales can be a great way of raising money and recycling at the same time! All of these will also help encourage members or friends groups to ask friends and family along you can also use this opportunity to promote your work and maybe increase your membership which could long term lead to increased income sources. If you are new to fundraising its best to stick to activities you know are popular amongst the members and that they can sell to their family and friends. Remember disposable income may be tight so they will be looking for value for money!
FOCUS ON: MONEY
For larger organisations, or those more used to fundraising, holding a charity raffle or auction can prove very lucrative for not too much time and effort. Writing to companies or celebrities can be a bit hit or miss if you don’t research your targets well. But if you do receive donations, these can make good profits. Remember there are now websites which can help you set up an auction to have a wider reach than just your members and friends. One of the oldest forms of fundraising and still one of the most popular is 50 – 50 fundraising. That is where the person donating has a chance of winning the same amount of money that is raised by the group. Originally done through the sale of football cards, there are now lots of options including ‘bonus ball’ draws and monthly draws. Many organisations are also making the most of our environmental knowledge by encouraging people to donate clothes, mobile phones and printer cartridges that they sell to registered companies to raise cash. Returns can be small – but every penny helps! Grant Funding Okay so you probably already try to access grants... but do you plan well enough ahead to make sure that you can access all that is available. Waiting till the last minute to apply can make for a weak application and remember funders can take up to 6 months to make a decision. It’s always best to start early and do a bit of research. What has the funder supported before? Call the funders and check out your idea before going to all of the trouble of completing the form for nothing. Regardless of the amount you need or who you apply to, every funder is looking for some basic requirements from you: •
Have you costed the application realistically?
•
Is your constitution up to date and meets the funders needs?
•
Are your year-end financial statements prepared and have they been independent examined or audited
Sell your Service You don’t have to be a shop or a social enterprise set up specifically to sell goods or services – anything your group does well could be of interest to another group or another potential group of users. Look at your organisation’s activities. What do you do well? Can you sell your activities, ideas to the wider sector or the private sector? Try comparing against similar third sector or private organisations. Do you have equipment you could hire out to another group? Can you open your premises for another group to use? Can you share a social function or service to keep the costs down? Does your organisation lack time, resources, equipment, resources to sell a service? Working in a partnership or as part of a consortiums working could be a way of developing skills and sharing experience. There is no limit to the size or structure of organisations as long you are all in agreement as to what you want to achieve. So go on...give it a try FOCUS SCOTLAND | 33
FOCUS ON: SOCIETY
D
o you want to inspire young people to work for you? Are young people aware of your industry? Do young people have the skills to enter your workforce? These are just some of the questions the recently established Developing the Young Workforce, West programme (DYW West) is asking of employers. The group was established following recommendations from the Wood Commission – regional employer-led groups funded by the Scottish Government are being set up all over Scotland. Their purpose is to link local employers with schools and colleges in order to create meaningful partnerships, which in turn will support employers to shape their future workforce. Based in the Paisley campus of West College Scotland, DYW West works across the west region – Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire. Funded for three years, the team will be looking to engage with employers of all sectors and sizes in the region. The work will be mutually beneficial to both young people and employers, allowing employers to: • help young people develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge for their business • inspire young people to work for them and secure a talent flow • promote a positive awareness of their business in their community • promote improved career choices and support diversity in the workplace • give something back to their community • apply the perspective and skills of young people to their business challenges • provide development opportunities for their staff 34 | FOCUS SCOTLAND
Employers can get involved with the programme by: • Providing quality work placements, visits, or work shadowing opportunities • Giving a talk about careers and opportunities • Mentoring pupils and students • Providing application and CV development sessions and offering mock interviews • Hiring a young person / apprentice / trainee • Creating a short film to inform young people about your industry • Offering CPD sessions for teachers • Getting Investors in Young People accredited If you are interested in working with DYW West or would simply like to find out more, please contact the relevant Programme Executive: Chloe Dobson (East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire) chloe.dobson@dywwest.co.uk 07710 715536 Paula Leca (Inverclyde and Renfrewshire) paula.leca@dywwest.co.uk 07710 715535
FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING
Disclosure Services
Who we are and what we do. Volunteer Scotland Disclosure Services is funded by Disclosure Scotland to support the voluntary sector with processing disclosure applications. We manage the essential service of providing free disclosure records to applicants who are in a voluntary positions, support and guidance to voluntary sector organisations carrying out regulated work with children and/or protected adults. All of our support services are free to qualifying voluntary organisations. We offer free training and support to enrolled customers. • PVG Explained • PVG & Signatory • Signatory Training • PVG - Recruitment and Referrals • PVG - Regulated Work
What is the PVG scheme? The PVG scheme is a membership scheme for people doing regulated work with children and/or protected adults in Scotland. PVG aims to ensure that the people who have regular contact with vulnerable groups through the workplace do not have a history of harmful behavior.
Jubilee House, Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ disclosures@volunteerscotland.org.uk www.volunteerscotland.org.uk 01786 849 777
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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