Tackling Inequalities should be at the heart of Social Policy

When a world-renowned epidemiologist tells a busy Edinburgh Partnership event that social inequalities represent the greatest human rights abuse of our times, people sit up and take notice.

Dr Richard Wilkinson, co-author of The Spirit Level and co-founder of the Equality Trust speaking at the Edinburgh Partnership: in Conference (EP:iC) event on Wednesday 3 November presented a powerful case that reducing inequalities should be a prime motive for partners, showing that evidence from around the world demonstrates that a range of ‘social problems’ (such as homicides, imprisonment rates, low educational attainment, or low levels of community trust) correlate strongly with the level of (income) inequality in a society. 

If we wish to reduce the incidence of such social problems, the argument ran, we should target our energies on reducing inequality. The ways to do this, of course, are varied – and range from benefit adequacy to pay restraint to progressive taxes and everything in between. You can find all the slides from the event via the Edinburgh Compact website.

The outputs from the thought-provoking event will be considered by a reference group convened by Cathy Macnaughton, an EVOC representative to Edinburgh’s Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership, with responsibility for bringing forward proposals to reduce inequalities for Edinburgh’s children and young people.

Further information on this developing work will become available online as soon as possible.

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Greater Economic Democracy?

Participatory Budgeting (PB) – a Brief Overview

Participatory Budgeting, at its most basic, refers to turning over budgetary decisions to the citizens affected by the budget.

Participatory Budgeting is not just a consultation exercise, but an embodiment of direct, deliberative democracy.

If we assume that there is no greater stimulus to meaningful community engagement than when citizens can see that their participation results in change, then Governments devolving some decision-making power to citizens who are affected by these decisions should promote better community engagement.

At its best PB involves stakeholders in setting priorities, identifying appropriate budgets, ‘weighting’ the various parameters, and finally making robust and transparent decisions on spend.

Participatory Budgeting, along with Time Banks and Youth Courts are expressions of current and emerging thinking around the changing relationships between citizens and the state which coalesce under the banner of ‘Co-Production.’ Whereas 19th century governments provided services 'to' people, 20th century thinking moved towards providing services ‘for’ citizens. Today the appropriate model for the 21st Century is that government co-creates services ‘with’ people.

You can read more about co-production in the following resources:

The challenge of co-production: How equal partnerships between professionals and the public are crucial to improving public services 

Co-production in public services: a new partnership with citizens  

Participatory Budgeting in Edinburgh

In Edinburgh members of the city-wide Community Engagement Implementation Group have been exploring opportunities for Participatory Budgeting at Neighbourhood level, and have been encouraged that a few projects have begun to bear fruit:

Leith

With the £eith Decides project anyone living or working in the area will be able to have their say on how £16,600 will be spent, from a choice of 29 potential projects, at an event being held by Leith Neighbourhood Partnership at Leith Academy on Saturday 27 November, doors open from noon.

Forth

In Forth Neighbourhood Partnership a budget of £14,000 has been set aside and applications are currently being sought from local groups. Funding decisions will be made at a community event in Telford College on Friday 28 January.

South Central

The South Central Neighbourhood Partnership held a ‘student-themed’ event at the Potterrow where a large and diverse group of residents, Neighbourhood Partnership members, and service providers came together with a variety of student interests to consider plans for a ring-fenced amount (£6,000) of the local Community Grants Fund.

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Compact partners' news

City of Edinburgh Council

Businesses, groups and individuals have to the end of this week to submit nominations for the next Edinburgh Award recipient.

Votes for the Edinburgh Award 2010 must be submitted to the City Chambers (by post or in person) no later than Friday 26 November.

Lord Provost George Grubb said: "The Edinburgh Award is the City's chance to pay public tribute to an extraordinary individual whose work or achievements have brought positive attention to Edinburgh in the past twelve months. Whoever wins in 2010 will become the latest member of a very elite club indeed, joining previous Award recipients Ian Rankin, JK Rowling and Sir Chris Hoy. If you haven't cast your vote yet, download the nomination form right away and send it in to us to make sure your chosen candidate has a chance of gaining the recognition they deserve."

To nominate, download an Edinburgh Award nomination form or collect one from Reception at the City Chambers. Completed forms can be dropped off at the City Chambers or sent to The Edinburgh Award, The Lord Provost's Office, The City of Edinburgh Council, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1YJ. Completed nomination forms must be received by Friday 26 November.

Edinburgh Award criteria state that the individual being nominated:

• was born in Edinburgh or resided in the City for the past 12 months
• has not previously been awarded The Freedom of the City of Edinburgh
• is not a previous winner of The Edinburgh Award
• is not a serving politician

Once all the nominations have been received, the winner will be selected by a judging panel chaired by the Lord Provost, with representatives from all political groups on the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council and Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.

The winner will then be presented with an engraved Loving Cup at a ceremony to be attended by award winners and young achievers from across the city. Thereafter, they will have a mould of their handprints taken, which will then be engraved - and immortalised - on a flagstone in the City Chambers quadrangle.

Creative Scotland

Investment in culture defines the successful modern city, Andrew Dixon will tell an audience at this year’s Creative Scotland Edinburgh Lecture. His talk, Shining the spotlight on Scotland's creative cities, will be held at the Filmhouse, Lothian Road, on Thursday 2 December at 6:30 pm.

Andrew, Chief Executive of Creative Scotland, will discuss the significant role that creativity plays in Scotland’s major cities in redefining a city’s – and its residents - identity.

From Edinburgh’s embrace of the International Festival more than 60 years ago, Glasgow’s year as City of Culture in 1990, to Dundee’s successful project to bring the internationally-renowned Victoria and Albert museum to its waterfront, creativity has inspired cities to achieve social and economic change. These seismic changes have been led largely by groups of creative and visionary individuals.

Andrew says: ‘Creativity is the essential ingredient for successful cities, it’s what makes them unique and defines them as places. A city that invests in culture and creative individuals has potential and opportunity that reaches beyond the arts, and can inspire a whole community.’

The Edinburgh Lectures are committed to increasing knowledge and understanding of global issues and past series of lectures have been given by over 100 speakers from around the world, including politicians, writers, academics, scientists, Nobel laureates, broadcasters and royalty.

Tickets are £5.00 each and can be booked online.

Artlink Edinburgh

Artlink works hard to increase opportunities for individuals who experience disadvantage or disability to take part in the arts in Edinburgh and the Lothian region. See their Functionsuite newsletter for information about their exhibitions, projects and events taking place from October to December in venues across the city.
 

Bethany Christian Trust

Bethany Christian Trust invites you to support their work by visiting their bespoke shopping site to browse their line of Caring Christmas gifts and Christmas cards.

Profits from the cards and gifts are used to help homeless and vulnerable people.  The lines range in price from just £10 to £50 and provide real, tangible benefits to people in need.

View  the shopping website or call 0131 625 5319 to request an order form. 

Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations' Council

EVOC is seeking to recruit an Administrative Assistant.  The post holder will assist with the smooth running of the organisation and will provide a full administrative service to the Charity Law Advisors Training Project (CLATP).

If you are interested in the above opportunity, within an energetic and forward thinking organisation please visit the EVOC website for further information and an application pack or email.

The closing date for applications is Thursday 2 December at 12 noon.  Interviews will be held Thursday 9 December 2010.

EVOC is striving to be an equal opportunities employer.

£17,874 – £ 19,830 (pro rata)
17.5 hours per week
Fixed term to September 2011

Volunteer Centre Edinburgh

Liz Burns will deliver a talk called "Recognising and Valuing Older People Volunteering Contribution" on Wednesday 1 December from 2:30pm to 4:30pm at St.George’s West Church, Edinburgh.

Liz was the founding member of staff at Volunteer Development Scotland in 1984. She became Director of Volunteer Development Scotland in 1988 and retired in 2001. She is currently involved with the Older People’s Forum (Scotland Wide), RSVP, REACH and an exciting new project in Belfast called Unlocking Potential.

Discussion subjects will include:

• benefits to older people volunteering
• potential barriers
• recognizing and valuing older people’s contributions.

The free event is hosted by Evolve. Evolve is a dynamic forum for continuing professional development for volunteer managers. It provides an opportunity for volunteer managers to get together, learn, share experiences, and network.

With a thematic focus that concentrates on professional development, Evolve is also an opportunity to give and receive peer support. Everyone with responsibility for recruiting, managing or supporting volunteers (whether paid or as a volunteer, whether in frontline service delivery or serving on a management board or committee) will be made very welcome.

You can book online or contact Steven Blyth on 0131 225 0642.

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News

Implementation of PVG Scheme postponed until February

The introduction of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme has been postponed until February 2011. Children's Minister Adam Ingram MSP said the delay was "to ensure the system which supports it is as robust as it can be before it goes live."

The scheme had been scheduled to go live on 30 November 2010.

John Downie, director of public affairs at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), said:

"This delay only deepens our concerns over the vast cost of this scheme. At an original cost of £35 million, we would expect the Scottish Government's new IT system to function perfectly, but the delay suggests that costs could escalate even further. The fact that the scheme is supposed to be self financing, raises the worrying possibility of any new costs being passed on to voluntary organisations."

The PVG Scheme is now expected to commence during February 2011 and an exact date will be announced by the end of 2010.

In the meantime, the current service of enhanced disclosure for people who work with vulnerable groups will continue.

To access Disclosure Scotland's services, employers should continue to use the existing application forms.  Voluntary organisations can contact the Central Registered Body in Scotland as normal.

More information is available on the Scottish Government website, via the PVG Scheme Help Service by email or on 0870 609 6006.

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Opportunities and consultations

Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights: seeking Trustees

The Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) is seeking new members for its Board of Trustees.

After ten years of leading on anti-racist initiatives in Glasgow, Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance (GARA) is widening its remit under the new name of Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER). This change signifies their aim of pursuing racial equality within a human rights framework while also announcing their intention to pursue a Scotland-wide agenda.

They are now looking for additional individuals to join theirr Board of Trustees as they move into their next phase of development. They welcome applicants with a track record of challenging racism and promoting human rights, and are sure that those appointed will find it a worthwhile and fulfilling experience. They are looking to appoint up to five additional trustees, with at least one with financial skills and one with a legal background.

All positions will require an ability to play a strategic role, strong organisational and inter-personal skills and a commitment to our values and principles.

Trustees would be required to attend 6 Board meetings per year (up to 3 hours in the evening) and to participate in one or more of the Board’s sub-committees and other activities of CRER. Trustee positions are unpaid, but reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed. New trustees will be offered induction and access to on-going developmental opportunities.

To apply, please send a brief CV along with a statement of how your experience, skills and knowledge could contribute to our work, via email by Monday 6 December.

For additional information on the Coalition, please visit the CRER website, and for additional information on the role of trustees and a full information pack please email. If you wish to discuss the role please phone our Executive Director, Jatin Haria, or our Chair, Kofi Tordzro on 0141 418 6530.

Care and support services – consultation now open

The City of Edinburgh Council has produced a draft five-year strategy for the way it plans, buys and delivers care and support services. Now they want to hear your views.

The Edinburgh Commissioning Strategy for Care and Support Services 2011-2016 relates to every care and support service for adults and children of all ages.

Linked to the strategy are three, more detailed plans for each of the main care groups. These are:

• adults
• children and families
• housing and homelessness.

At this stage, we also ask for your views on the draft Commissioning Plan for Adults. We will ask you about the other plans later in 2011.

There are two elements to this stage of the consultation process. The first part is focused on how care and support services will be commissioned - this is relevant to all services commissioned through Health and Social Care, Children and Families and Services for Communities. The second part focuses on adult care and is specifically considering the priorities and processes related to how these services are delivered.

The draft Edinburgh Commissioning Strategy for Care and Support Services 2011-2016

This draft strategy is a guide for how the Council commissions services over the next five years. They can provide the best possible care and support for each individual by planning services over this longer period.

They will work with those who use services to look at the choice available, decide on the best way to provide services and review them to make sure they are working well. It is very important that they do this by working closely with the person who needs care and support and the people and organisations who provide the care and support.

Read the draft strategy.

The draft Commissioning Plan for Adult Care and Support Services

This covers the six care groups of:

• older people
• mental health and wellbeing
• learning disability
• physical disability
• drug and alcohol addictions
• HIV/AIDS.

The plan also looks at the support given to carers and how they can be more involved in planning care packages.

Read the draft plan.

Who can comment?

Anyone who receives care and support, their family members, carers, the organisations that support them and the wider community can comment on the proposals.

Key dates

From now until Friday 18 February 2011, you can comment on the draft strategy and the draft plan for adult care and support services.

The Council will use the feedback you give them to finalise the strategy and the adult plan and let you know the outcome by May 2011.

Later in 2011, they will tell you more about the draft commissioning plans for children and families and housing and homelessness.

How to give your views

Complete the online questionnaire where you can also get copies of the full commissioning strategy and the plan for adults.

If you would prefer to have a printed copy of the consultation questionnaire, call 0131 553 8314 or email.

A number of consultation meetings are being held. For more information call 0131 553 8314 or go to the website. You could also talk to your carer or care provider.

Women's groups urged to apply for a share of £76,000

Grant-makers the Scottish Community Foundation have urged women’s projects to apply for a share of a £76,000 funding pot provided by the Women’s Fund for Scotland.

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to registered charities and constituted community groups that provide support, services and activities for women aged over 16. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 7 December 2010.

Nick Addington, the Foundation’s grants director said: “There are lots of fantastic projects across Scotland offering services for vulnerable and isolated women and girls. We’re keen to support as many as we can, so we urge groups to apply now to have the best chance of being funded.”

Over £1M has been distributed by the Scottish Community Foundation on behalf of the Women’s Fund for Scotland since it was established in 2002. The fund is supported by awards from the Scottish Government and donations from private individuals who wish to support women’s groups and International Women’s Day (IWD) events across Scotland.

“Groups looking for funding to run events to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March 2011 should note this is the last opportunity to apply for Women’s Fund for Scotland grants ahead of IWD,” Addington continued.

Groups can contact the Foundation’s grants team on 0141 341 4960 for more information or visit the Scottish Community Foundation website to download the Express Grant (up to £2,000) and Main Grant (up to £5,000) application forms.

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Publications and resources

The Third Sector – a key role in delivering a healthier Scotland

Voluntary Health Scotland and SCVO have published a collaborative report, The Third Sector – a key role in delivering a healthier Scotland . The report was informed by jointly commissioned qualitative research undertaken by Alan Sinclair, independent consultant and visiting fellow of the Work Foundation.

The third sector already makes a significant contribution to improving the way Scotland’s health and care needs are met. But with increasing demand due to an ageing population, rising expectations, new technologies and with budgets being stretched further and further, now is the time to examine how we can do thing differently. More of the same is not an option.

The report demonstrates opportunities for the NHS, and national and local government to work more efficiently with the third sector to maximise effectiveness.

How Fair is Britain?

Every three years the Equalities and Human Rights Commission is required to report to Parliament on the progress that society is making in relation to equality, human rights and good relations. It has just published its first Triennial Review,  How Fair is Britain?

A new tool to measure wellbeing and resilience in local communities

The Wellbeing and Resilience Measure (WARM) is a new tool that has been developed to make the most of existing data about localities, combining statistics on such things as jobs and health with new ways of thinking about how happy and resilient communities are.

Developed by the Young Foundation in partnership with a wide range of local authorities, community groups and national organisations, the tool focuses not just on community needs and vulnerabilities (such as crime or mental illness) but also on community assets (such as strong families and social supports).

It is described as being designed to help areas compare themselves with other similar places, and as a tool to help communities struggling with difficult decisions about priorities for spending and cuts.
 

Latest issue of Concept available now

Concept is an online journal which explores community education as a dynamic and diverse concept. Concept Volume 1 Issue number 3 is now available free online.

Social Inclusion News

The November issue of Capital City Partnership’s Social Inclusion News is now available.

New legislation database online now

legislation.gov.uk is the now the home for the Statute Law Database and legislation previously carried by the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI.)
OPSI’s website already gave access to legislation back to 1986, but this move joins it with the content of the Statute Law Database and means that most primary legislation is now available. No secondary legislation (e.g. Statutory Instruments) prior to 1988 is available.

There are some other limitations, so do check the FAQs or guidance to be sure you know what is included and what is consolidated legislation and what is as it was passed.
 

Voluntary Power Consultation Report

Please see Reform Scotland’s latest publication, ‘Voluntary Power.’ This report is the follow up to a consultation paper published earlier this year . The original consultation document sought views on how the third sector in Scotland could be expanded and, particularly, how it could play a greater role in the provision of public services.

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Events

A Short Course in Conflict Resolution

As part of the Upskilling Community Development Programme, The Edinburgh Community Learning and Development Partnership has engaged WORDS in ACTION to deliver a short course (three sessions) on Conflict Resolution covering the following topics:

• Understanding the nature and sources of conflict
• Handling conflict in meetings
• Handling conflicting roles and responsibilities
• Practising conflict management techniques.

Aim:

• to understand how conflict arises
• to gain insight into individual responses to conflict
• to learn techniques for managing those responses
• to learn techniques for pre-empting potential conflict
• to acquire some basic conflict management tools

Learning Outcomes: By the end of the session participants will:

• understand what typically causes conflict
• gain insight into their default response to actual and potential conflict
• will more confidently be able to handle conflict in meetings
• develop skill in managing role boundaries
• learn a basic conflict management process

The course will take place on:

Monday 6 December from 1.30pm to 4.30pm at South Bridge Resource Centre

Tuesday 11 January 2011 from 1.30pm to 4.00pm (venue to be confirmed)

Thursday 13 January 2011 from 1.30pm to 4.00pm (venue to be confirmed)

To book a place, please telephone The Workforce Learning and Development booking line on 469 3227 between 12:30 pm and 4:00pm (Mon-Thurs) and 12:00pm to 3:30pm (Fri), or by email. Quote course number CF 0956.

Alternative Business Models Programme

The Alternative Business Models (ABM) Programme is about the Council exploring whether there are better, more cost effective ways of delivering quality services for Edinburgh. Given the significance of this programme the Council is committed to actively engaging with key stakeholders on these changes.

The second of two meetings will take place on Wednesday 1 December from 10.30am to 12.30pm at the City Chambers. These sessions will be facilitated by the Council’s Equalities Manager and the Project Manager from the Alternative Business Models Programme project. Both sessions will provide information on the ABM programme and the equalities work taking place. The discussions at these sessions will also help inform the equalities impact assessment.

If you are interested in attending this event please contact Anne Elliot or call 0131 469 3764 to book a place.

The Council Equalities Manager has completed an initial Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA) of the Alternative Business Models Programme. For further information you will find links to the most recent Council reports on the Alternative Business Models Programme and the EQIA report on the Council website.

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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 EVOC.

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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!

The following Compact Strategies are available to download:

In Equal Respect: A Shared Vision

City Funding Strategy

Social Enterprise Strategy

Volunteering Strategy

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