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Compact Newsletter June

Dear Colleague,

Welcome to the second issue of The Edinburgh Compact News Bulletin. As the Compact team’s recently appointed Information and Communications Officer Julia Macintosh will be taking forward the publication of this bulletin. We are hoping to develop a resource that will be useful to and welcomed by you – so by all means please email your ideas and your news, and meanwhile please forward this issue among your colleagues and networks.

The Compact embraces a vision for the city where all sectors work together towards the shared goal of improving the quality of life for all residents and communities.

Editorial

Part of my role as Compact Communications Officer will be to help coordinate the news and information flow between Compact Partners, and to develop the Compact website as a communication tool. One possible avenue to explore is into the world of Web 2.0 described as ‘The second generation of the World Wide Web, especially the movement away from static webpages to dynamic and shareable content and social networking.’

Facebook, Wordpress, Flickr, Twitter , Wikipedia, and YouTube are some of the more well-known faces of Web 2.0 in the emerging landscape of new digital communication tools such as social networking, blogging, photo sharing and realtime messaging. Trendy digital tools are often perceived as being the domain of the private sector, with its generous IT and development budgets. But Web 2.0 routes have developed mainly to be inclusive rather than elite: to encourage user-generated content and interaction, and to support participation. They can serve as an effective tool for sharing ideas and establishing dialogue among diverse and widely-spread groups of people.

The Compact Strategy describes the Compact as “promoting and supporting an environment of mutual advantage.” Do we need to find more or different ways for Compact Partners to connect with one another, in order to create such an environment? Would Web 2.0 be an effective way to enhance communication and inspire dialogue?

We’re looking for feedback from the Compact community. What are your feelings about and experiences with Web 2.0 technologies? Would you be Compact’s friend on Facebook? Or would a Compact podcast make you run for earplugs? Let us know your thoughts – email with your ideas and suggestions, and let’s see where this avenue may take us.

Julia Macintosh
Information & Communications Officer
Compact team, EVOC

Guest Profile

The Guest Profile is your chance to introduce your organisation to Compact partners and stakeholders. If you would like to be featured in a Guest Profile, please get in touch

In this issue we are delighted to present an introduction to CEMVO Scotland:

The Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO) Scotland is a strategic partner of the Scottish Government with a network of over 600 ethnic minority voluntary sector organisations and community groups throughout Scotland. Our offices are based in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness.

We are the leading national intermediary organisation in Scotland with the aim of building the capacity and sustainability of the ethnic minority voluntary sector and its communities. We do not use the word “leading” lightly nor do we use it for self-promotional purposes, but rather, we say this because we truly believe that since we started our operations in Scotland in 2003, we have delivered more success in providing direct support to the ethnic minority voluntary sector than any other national organisation.

Some of our achievements to date include:

Providing capacity building support to over 165 ethnic minority voluntary sector organisations and community groups since 2004 and securing over £4 million worth of funding for the sector
Initiating a new and innovative approach to increasing ethnic minority civic and democratic participation through the development of the Ethnic Minority Civic Congress (EMCC) that provides a structured platform for over 90 ethnic minority voluntary organisations and community groups to engage directly with policy and decision makers
Developing the first Black Leadership Network in Scotland where over 50 ethnic minority managers come together regularly to provide peer support, share information, and develop individual and collective leadership in strategically addressing race equality within Scotland
Developing an EFQM quality management programme to improve organisational and management processes within the sector
Initiating a Reciprocal Exchange Network for resource and skills sharing within the ethnic minority voluntary sector

CEMVO Scotland has been able to deliver such capacity building programmes through its direct engagement and close working relationship with the ethnic minority voluntary sector, and it is through this relationship that our organisation has been able to develop the track record of successful service delivery and credibility within the sector.

We wish for you all to play a key role in our continued success, and would encourage more ethnic minority groups to access our support services, and for statutory, public, government and voluntary sector agencies to work with us in meeting the challenges that we all face in addressing the race equality agenda in Scotland.

If you would like to find out more about the work of our organisation, then please contact us on 0131-553-1596 or email: enquiries@cemvoscotland.org.uk

Colin Lee
Country Director (Scotland)

Compact news

A third and final free workshop on Funding, hosted by the Advisory Group on Funding (AGF), will take place on Tuesday 11th August 2009, from 9am-1pm, at the Faith Mission in Gilmerton.

The first two workshops took place in June, for funders and Voluntary & Community Organisations (VCO’s) respectively. This third and final event will bring together the Funders and the VCO's, and will consider evidence and proposals that were gathered at the first two workshops.

The purpose of the Funding events is to create an environment which will maximise participation in considering the three issues being progressed by the Advisory Group on Funding in the implementation of the City Funding Strategy. These are:

Full cost recovery (for VCO's)
Reserves (of VCO's)
Managing inflation and sustainability

Invitations will issue shortly to all those who attended one or the other of the events in June.

News from Compact partners

Edinburgh Community Health Development Grants

Are you involved in or working with a group or project within Edinburgh? Are you developing initiatives to benefit the health of a group or local community? If so, you can apply to NHS Lothian Health Promotion Service for a grant of up to £3,000 to take this work forward.

Applications are invited from community groups and projects. Work should be based on community development principles. This means that your plan should include how you will work with local people; build action to address locally identified health issues; reduce inequalities in health relating to the circumstances of people’s lives; work with other agencies and address discrimination.

The closing date for applications is:
Friday 4th September 2009

For more information or to obtain an application pack, email Claire Glen or on 0131 536 3523, or email Liz Simpson or on 0131 537 9259

Lothian and Borders Police Annual Report 2008/2009

Lothian and Borders Police (LBP) have published their Annual Report 2008/2009. The report includes a comprehensive overview of police activities in our communities and statistical information on key performance areas. It is available for download from the LBP website. You can also listen to a podcast of Chief Constable David Strang introducing the report.

New Royal Victoria Building Moves Forward

Plans are moving forward for the new Royal Victoria building at the Western General Hospital. A twelve week public consultation on the planned new building runs was launched at the end of June.

Proposals include:

services for people aged over 65 will move from current provision at the Royal Victoria Hospital to the new building at the Western General
redevelopment of an existing car park site situated close to Crewe Road South, for patients and visitors to the new Royal Victoria Building
services at the new building will include medical inpatient and outpatient services and a medical day hospital.

Two public information events are scheduled to take place in the local community on 7 August at St Stephen’s Church Hall, Fettes Avenue, Edinburgh. Members of the local community will be able to view proposed plans and will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss details with NHS Lothian’s project team and architects.

The public consultation period will also involve engaging with local community groups, including older people’s groups, community councils and the Patient Focus, Public Involvement reference group.

For more details about the Royal Victoria Hospital Re-provision project see the website.

Can you help us develop disability equality in NHS Lothian?

Wednesday 5 August 2009
10am – 3.30pm

This event is one of a range of activities to help us develop our new Disability Equality Scheme. The Scheme is a very important document which will set out how we plan to make health services meet the needs of disabled people as much as possible. It will also set out how NHS Lothian can keep improving as an employer of disabled people.

We would like to involve as broad a range of people as possible, including people with disabilities, carers, and service-providers. The programme will include discussions on:

An introduction to NHS Lothian and the Disability Equality Duty
How NHS Lothian might measure progress towards disability equality: discussion and workshops
How NHS Lothian might develop so that it can meet the needs of disabled people: workshops
What NHS Lothian’s Disability Equality Scheme might look like

The event is free. We can help with organising and paying for transport and other expenses you may have. Lunch and lots of refreshments will be provided on the day.

If you would like to book a place, please contact Kath Dorman-Jackson at NHS Lothian on 0131 536 9163.

The deadline for booking is Friday 24 July 2009.

News from Big Lottery

BIG response to help UK recession-hit communities
The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) is to pump a multi-million pound package of funding into communities to help them cope with the effects of the recession. An additional £43 million is to be invested across the UK to tackle the longer-term effects of the recession on the UK’s communities. BIG is working closely with stakeholders to determine what form the support will take, but it is thought it could include targeted funding for specific services such as debt advice and support to help train increasing numbers of volunteers.

Responding to the increasing pressure facing the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), BIG has also reprioritised and refocused its portfolio and increased the budgets of some of its most popular programmes this year, to the tune of around £45million. All these adjustments have been made to help get funding fast to where VCS voices are saying it is needed most.

Million pound Lottery investment puts communities in charge
Three organisations are sharing in £1,123,467 from BIG’s Dynamic, Inclusive Communities programme (DInC) which is committed to strengthening communities so that they can play a bigger and more effective role in planning their own futures. They are the Scottish Community Foundation, the Scottish Community Development Centre and Forward Scotland.

CEC publishes Issue 10 of its Planning Newsletter

‘Planning News’ aims to provide up to date information on the development plan and other planning related guidance produced by the City of Edinburgh Council. It is in a newsletter format and should appeal to a wide range of interests including developers, planning consultants, local businesses, Councillors and members of the public. Planning News is published quarterly. Issue 10 – Summer 2009 (1,276 kb) is out now.

Volunteer Recruitment Fair

Volunteer Centre Edinburgh have now opened bookings for this year’s Volunteer Recruitment Fair which will take place on 1st October 2009 at the Assembly Rooms on George Street. Having run successfully for several years, the volunteer recruitment fair is firmly positioned in the calendar as Edinburgh’s volunteering event of the year. If your organisation is looking to boost the involvement of volunteers in your work, this event is not to be missed. Every year the fair attracts over 1000 members of the public keen to become volunteers, 70% of whom sign up with at least one of the organisations holding a stall on the day.

The fair always books up so make sure you get your booking form in soon to ensure your place as one of the 100 stall holders this year to snap up some new volunteers!

Download a booking form or email Gosha Redelbach or call on 0131 225 0642

Inspiring Volunteers!

The Inspiring Volunteering Award Ceremony was held during Volunteers’ Week in the Edinburgh City Chambers on Wednesday 3rd June 2009. Around 50 of Edinburgh’s inspiring volunteers were presented with certificates by Edinburgh Lord Provost, Councillor George Grubb for their achievements in volunteering with various charities, community groups and council run projects. Joan Alexander, a Citizen Advocate for ‘Partners In Advocacy’ was named as the ‘Inspiring Volunteer of the Year 2009’ and five other volunteers received special recognition awards for their commitment, impact, innovation, partnership work and teamwork

The five volunteers that received special recognition awards at the award ceremony were:

Ann Stewart, a ribbon maker since 1999 for Waverley Care, who received a Special Recognition Certificate in the category of ‘Commitment’
Mr Pat Tai Shek, a lunch club volunteer for the Edinburgh Chinese Elderly Support Association (ECESA), who received a Special Recognition Certificate in the category of ‘Impact’
Nina Chadwick, Vice President for Children's Holiday Venture (CHV), who received a Special Recognition Certificate in the category of ‘Innovation’
The St. Thomas' Project Volunteer Facilitators, a team of seven volunteers for the British Red Cross, who received a Special Recognition Certificate in the category of Partnership’
The Decorating and Gardening Squad, a team of five volunteers for Pilton Equalities Project (PEP), who received a Special Recognition Certificate in the category of ‘Teams’

The Awards Ceremony was organised by Volunteer Centre Edinburgh on behalf of the Edinburgh Compact Partnership as part of Volunteers Week. The awards recognised and celebrated some of the wide-ranging achievements and significant impacts that volunteers make within Edinburgh.

Get recognition for your Volunteer Management: Investing in Volunteers (IiV) Edinburgh Subsidy Scheme

Now open for applications! Application deadline is 31 August 2009

The Edinburgh Subsidy Scheme is offering you the opportunity to apply a subsidy to gain the Investing in Volunteers Award, if your income is under £1 million a year. Investing in Volunteers (IiV), the UK Quality Standard for volunteer management, deals with real volunteer management issues and it works with your structure and your organisation to consolidate the best of your volunteer management and further develop your practice. Through a series of simple steps, IiV allows you to reflect on the way that you currently manage volunteers, identify what can be further developed and put in place a plan of action. IiV is a recognisable brand that shows potential volunteers and funders your involvement of volunteers is the best on offer.

We are now seeking applications for the Investing in Volunteers Edinburgh Subsidy Award. Full details and application forms available online.

If you have any questions, or would like a chat about any aspect of Investing in Volunteers Award, please email Jean Cuthbert, 0131 225 0639

Scottish Arts Council plans for stability through 2009/10

A year of integration and stability, while preparing for change, are the themes of the Scottish Arts Council’s Business Plan 2009/10 .

Its priorities for 2009/10 are to:

increase the scope and quality of our support to artists
secure the foundation of Scotland’s artistic development
create flexibility to support the new and the innovative
create opportunities for participation in the arts
build a culture of co-operation with partners and the arts community
make the transition to Creative Scotland.

The Council - which serves the people of Scotland by fostering arts of the highest quality through investment, development, research and advocacy - will distribute a budget of over £60 million pounds during the current year.

SROI Guide Launched

The SROI Network has published ‘A guide to Social Return on Investment’ – a step-by-step guide for people who want to measure the social, environmental and economic value generated by their activities. The guide has been prepared as part of the three-year programme on measuring social value, which aims at standardising practice, developing methodology and providing more clarity on the use of SROI. The guide is available to download from the SROI website.

Items of interest

Citizens Advice Scotland welcomes new Government position on debt scheme

Citizens Advice Scotland have welcomed the climbdown by the SNP government on its proposed changes to the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS). The Government had planned to introduce changes which would have restricted access to the DAS for many people. More details are available on the CAS website.

Recently Citizens Advice Scotland published a report, Drowning in Debt, which showed that the levels and amount of personal debt among CAB clients was increasing massively in Scotland. The full Drowning in Debt report is available as well as a briefing sheet which summarises the key findings.

Community Ideas Campaign

The Community Ideas Campaign has been launched by Employers in Voluntary Housing (EVH) to help Scotland and all its Communities both respond to and recover from the current economic difficulties. The campaign is based on the Irish Ideas Campaign where 5000 ideas were generated in one month to help regenerate the Irish economy.

We want to seek people's ideas, drawing from their own experiences to identify how Scotland can not just emerge from this recession, but, reach out to all our communities to play their part and help Scotland compete on the world stage again.

The initial phase of the campaign is seeking people's ideas to:

Preserve and grow employment
Stimulate activity across the community
Make it easier for ordinary people to make a difference
Kick start our construction industry to provide sustainable homes

To contribute your ideas see the Community Ideas Campaign website.

EVOC autumn training programme 2009 out now

EVOC Learning's autumn training programme is now online and bookings are being accepted for a range of courses. Places fill up quickly so book now to avoid disappointment.

SCVO Training Programme 2009/10 out now

SCVO has also published its training programme for 2009/10. It is available online at their website.

Signposts

Skills Utilisation E-Bulletin
The Scottish Government has published their third Skills Utilisation E-Bulletin, which updates stakeholders of the progress of the Scottish Government's Skills Utilisation Action Group to improve skills utilisation in Scotland.

Social Inclusion News
Social Inclusion News is the electronic monthly newsletter of Capital City Partnership.

Social Enterprise Edinburgh eBulletin
This bulletin provides you with information, events and news from the world of social enterprise in Edinburgh.

Senscot Bulletin
Senscot is passionate about these people we call social entrepreneurs - individuals who believe passionately in something which will benefit the community - who get their hands dirty doing it and who have the dogged determination to see it through. Read the Senscot bulletin and be both informed and entertained!

Volunteer Organisers' Bulletin
Aimed at anyone involved in the management of Volunteers. Sign-up to this subscription-based news and information bulletin on all things volunteering related by email Lara at Volunteer Centre Edinburgh

Bookshelf

This space is to highlight new publications that may be of interest to you. If you have read something you’d like to share, or are aware of a useful resource, please contact Julia with your suggestion.

The Complete Special Events Handbook

This book is founded on over twenty years’ experience of managing special events and over ten years of writing and delivering training courses for the profit and non-profit sectors. It is a practical, realistic guide to event management, designed for today’s market, and a new approach to the subject, developed from hands-on experience.

The Complete Events Handbook is structured to take the special events organiser though the stages required to plan and implement a major or special event, using proven project planning methods to ensure a successful outcome. It is developed with the basic ‘nuts and bolts’ techniques through the conception, planning and management of events. It includes a selection of case studies from organisations, which offer sound and practical advice on the reality of special event management.

Publisher: Directory of Social Change
1st edition, June 2009
£22.95

Subversive Citizens: Power, agency and resistance in public services

Edited by Marian Barnes and David Prior

Citizens' everyday conduct is shaped by governmental action, yet there is much evidence that both front-line staff in public services and the people who use them can sometimes act in ways that modify, disrupt or negate intended policy outcomes. Subversive Citizens presents a highly original examination of how official policy objectives can be 'subverted' through the actions of staff and users.

"This collection makes an outstanding contribution to the debate in a
provocative, compelling and original way." Gordon Hughes, Cardiff University

Publisher: Policy Press
July 2009
£26.99

About this bulletin

The reason this information is sent electronically is that email is quick and immediate and it provides you with information that can be mailed on, printed out or cut and pasted into other documents. We hope you enjoy it and find it of interest.

We welcome your comments, suggestions and contributions, simply email Julia at the Compact Team.

All about the Compact …

- What is a Compact?
Webster defines a Compact as 'an agreement between parties,' and as 'a covenant.' One might say a compact is a contract, or a promise.

- What is The Edinburgh Compact?
The Edinburgh Compact is a high-level city agreement between the public and voluntary and community sectors. It is about the relationship between voluntary and community organisations and public agencies at a citywide level. It is about promoting and supporting an environment of mutual advantage.

The Compact Strategy sets out the underpinning principles and values which the Compact seeks to promote as well as a plan for action over the coming years that will address the key challenges identified in the development of the Compact.

The development of the Compact strategy and action plan are overseen by the Compact Partnership.

- What is The Edinburgh Compact Partnership?
The Edinburgh Compact Partnership is the primary context within which statutory partners come face to face with a range of voluntary and community sector (sometimes called the 'third sector') interests. The partnership is made up of voluntary sector and public sector partners in equal numbers and their contact details are available on this site. The Partnership is responsible for taking forward the work of the Compact Strategy and its Action Plan.

- What are the Compact Principles?
The Compact says that public agencies will work with third sector bodies 'In Equal Respect' and employing the Compact Principles of transparency, accountability, clear communication, equity and respect.

- Introduce me to the Compact Family of Strategies!
All the Compact Strategies are available to download, just click on the link below to be introduced!

City Funding Strategy
Social Enterprise Strategy
Volunteering Strategy

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