04/10/2014 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Scottish Youth Parliament needs YOU!

Hello YOUNG PEOPLE!

The Scottish Youth Parliament elections are being held in March 2015 where all Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) will be elected from across Scotland openly, democratically, and at the same time between 2 – 11 March 2015.

Do you have the next Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament in your class, school group, community centre or youth clubs? Or could it be you?

All young people between the ages of 14-25 have the right to stand for election and so we’re hoping to capture input from young people willing to speak up and play their part in what’s happening around us!

Standing as a candidate is an opportunity for young people in your school and community to make a difference to their local area (and the country) and to ensure young people’s voices are heard by Scotland’s decision-makers.

If you know of any young person who might be interested in being elected as an Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, the deadline to register an interest in standing for election is 31 October 2014.

If anyone would like to get involved and/ or want to find out more, please contact Mary Mitchell from the Young People’s Participation Team via mary.mitchell@edinburgh.gov.uk or by phoning 529 2131. Or if you’d prefer to an informal chat on “your turf” before you progress anywhere please call me on 332 6316.

More information can also be found on the web at www.syp.org.uk, by tweet @Official SYP, or by visit syp.org.uk or a video promoting being a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament on the same website.

Callum McLeod

Broughton Community Learning & Development team

Don’t make Scotrail decision before new powers devolved: Lararowicz

Loal MP Mark Lazarowicz has backed a call by Scottish Labour MPs, MSPs and the RMT rail union for the retendering of the ScotRail and Caledonian sleeper franchises to be postponed in the light of the timetable for the devolution of new powers to the Scottish Parliament.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has proposed that the new devolved powers should include further devolution of powers over rail transport.

The Government is to publish the proposals of each of the three main Westminster parties by 30 October and the Scottish people, civil society in Scotland and the Scottish Parliament will then be consulted on them, but a decision on the company to operate the Scotrail franchise is due to be announced this month with the franchise to start in April 2015 and to run for the next 10 years.

The North and Leith MP said: “The proposals for further devolution include new powers covering rail transport and in the light of that I am calling on the Scottish Government to postpone the retendering of the ScotRail and Caledonian sleeper franchises.

“That would mean that once the powers are devolved the Scottish Government will be free to decide whether it wishes to run rail services in the public sector rather than continuing with privatisation.

“The new powers should enable the Scottish people to make a real choice about the kind of society we are and, on rail as on other issues, the Scottish Government should not make that decision for us before we are able to.”

The timetable for the transfer of further powers to the Scottish Parliament can be found in the text of a Parliamentary Motion at

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmagenda/fb141013.htm

[Section B, no. 28]

Autumn arts festival tackles mental health stigma

A national festival aiming to tackle the stigma of mental health launches across Edinburgh and the Lothians this weekend.

The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival aims to challenge preconceived ideas of mental health as well as celebrate the artistic achievements of those with lived experience of mental health issues.

More than 65 events will be taking place across Edinburgh and the Lothians exploring this year’s theme of personal, political and social power. The programme includes film, theatre, music, dance, photography, comedy, storytelling and guided walks, with many of the performances and activities free of charge.

The festival, which is celebrating its seventh year in Lothian, officially launched yesterday with Out of Sight/Out of Mind, an exhibition featuring work by artists with experience of mental health issues.

The exhibition, which is free, opens to the public at Summerhall, Edinburgh today and will also appear at Ocean Terminal, Central Library, Edinburgh University Chaplaincy Centre and Portobello Library throughout the month.

Linda Irvine, Strategic Programme Manager, Mental Health and Wellbeing, NHS Lothian, said: “One in four people in Scotland will experience mental health problems at some point in their life. We know the arts have the power to tackle the stigma associated with mental ill health and promote recovery.

“This year’s festival features a number of inspiring and provocative events, from hard-hitting theatre to family storytelling events and there really is something for everyone.”

Jane Crawford, Co-ordinator of The Consultation & Advocacy Promotion Service (CAPS), an independent advocacy organisation for people who use or have used mental health services, said: “The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival is a very powerful focus for people to convey their feelings and experiences of mental health in a creative way. Advocacy is all about giving people a voice and this can be done in many different ways – not just by speaking. Poetry, painting, sculpture, comedy, song all allow people to give expression to their experiences.”

Other highlights of the festival include:

Voices of War at Edinburgh Castle, an evening of poetry and reflection exploring the pioneering work of World War I psychiatrist Captain WHR Rivers, Thursday 9th Oct, 7.30 – 9pm
Lothians on Film is an exciting selection of short films made in and around the Lothians. The selection includes documentary, fiction, animation and film art and will be shown, for free, at various locations across Edinburgh and the Lothians from Thursday 2nd October to Friday 10th October.
Resilience: Legislative Theatre is radical, participatory theatre giving power back to the people of Edinburgh. Audience members will be invited to propose, discuss and debate new ideas for legislation. The event is free and takes place on Saturday 11 October at Out of the Blue, Edinburgh from 3 to 9pm.
The International Film Awards 2014 The annual film awards ceremony will honour the very best of the films submitted by filmmakers from all over the world. Expect to be moved and inspired by the stories shown in the excerpts. Thursday 16 October at the Filmhouse Cinema, Edinburgh
The Wellbeing Mela is a free, fun, family day to celebrate diversity and promote positive mental health and wellbeing amongst Edinburgh’s varied minority ethnic communities. Music, dance, complementary therapies, relaxation workshops and lots more will be happening on Sunday 19 October at Out of the Blue, Edinburgh

The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation in association with the following national partners: the University of Strathclyde Glasgow, See Me, VOX Scotland, NHS Lothian, NHS Health Scotland, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire Recovery Network, Healthier Scotland, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Bipolar Scotland.

A full programme of events taking place in October is available at www.mhfestival.com

Get Up and Go award for PEP

Pilton Equalities Project win Get Up and Go award

PEP manager Helen Tait said: “PEP were delighted to be selected as this years’ winner of the ‘Get Up & Go Award’ for Product and/or Service “That Makes a Difference”. Councillor Lewis, Convener of Sport and Leisure congratulated the project for its work and in reaching its 25 year milestone. Thank you to everyone who supported us for this award!”

Helen was joined by PEP’s weekend resource support worker Moira Stone at the awards ceremony earlier this week (pictured below).

Pilton attack – man charged with attempted murder

Police Scotland have confirmed that an 18 year old man has been charged with attempted murder and will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court court on Monday following the attack on a Chinese man in West Pilton on Wednesday evening.

The victim of the attack – named locally as the owner of the Peking Garden takeaway, Jie Yu – remains in a ‘serious but stable’ condition in Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary hospital.

Police still seek two men in relation to the incident and have appealed to the public for information.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Boyd said: “We are continuing to follow a positive line of enquiry into this incident, including the theft of the victim’s car prior to the serious assault. Anyone with information about either incident should contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Take the budget challenge!

Can you balance the books? It sounds like a variation on Fantasy Football or a new TV game show, but the council is serious – have your say on Edinburgh’s Budget …

With four months to go before the Capital’s 2015/16 budget is set, the City of Edinburgh Council has unveiled an innovative online tool to help encourage as many residents as possible to have their say on where money should be invested and saved in 2015/16 and beyond.

At a meeting of the Finance & Resources Committee earlier this week (Tuesday 30 September), councillors approved a report on the draft budget, along with a set of budget proposals for public consultation over the coming months.

The budget engagement period, which runs until 19 December 2014, begins today [Friday 3 October 2014] and is this year supplemented for the first time by an interactive online budget planner, the first time such a feature has been used by a major city in Scotland.

The budget planner, together with a short film on the Council’s website and YouTube channel, highlights the range of services the Council provides and the challenges it faces over the coming years in deciding which ones to prioritise against a backdrop of rising demand but flat or reducing resources.

Members of the public can take virtual control of the City’s finances by using the planner tool to decide how they would balance the budget, discovering how increasing spend in some areas would impact on other areas.

Councillor Alasdair Rankin, Finance Convener, said: “It is very important to us that we hear and respond to what the people of Edinburgh are saying. By publishing our draft budget proposals months in advance of the February deadline it gives the public an opportunity to tell us what services they want their Council to spend more on and to help us to shape them in a way that will improve the lives of all our city’s residents.

“This year we have introduced a number of new initiatives to make it even easier for people to tell us how the Council should spend its money. As a result, we are hoping that more of you let us know your views. It is important that people know that we are listening and responding to what they have to say.”

Councillor Bill Cook , Vice Convener, added: “We want you to be part of this process and we need you to put forward your views whether it is by using our online planner, phone, letter, email, social media, or other means. Everything you say will be considered as part of the budget process and this invaluable feedback will inform the final budget proposals we’ll be putting to the Council in February 2015.”

The full budget proposals, the budget planner and short film can all be accessed at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/budget

You can have your say by:

– completing the online budget planner to have your say on what services you would spend or save money on in 2015 to 2018

– commenting on the 2015/16 proposals

You can do this by:

• email
• phone on 0131 200 2305 (8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 3.40pm Friday)
• writing to us at Freepost, RSJC-SLXC-YTJY, Budget, Council Leader, City Chambers, High Street Edinburgh EH1 1YJ

speaking to your local councillor