Making a big issue of social enterprise

The International Network of Street papers (INSP) has secured funding as part of a £250,000 investment to promote Scottish social enterprises internationally, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess announced today.

Glasgow-based charity ISNP will receive £20,000 from the overall funding for another year, an extension of its current support.

The Scottish Government funding coincides with Vendors Week, an annual global event where celebrities and politicians sell the Big Issue paper for one hour to raise awareness of homelessness.

The total investment is aimed at further developing Scotland’s reputation internationally as a world leader in creating the right conditions for social enterprise to flourish.

Social enterprises have an impact on communities all over Scotland, tackling social problems and strengthening communities. They trade in all markets and aim to make a profit just like any private sector business, but all profits are reinvested back into their social and environmental purposes.

The remainder of the funding will be earmarked for continued support for international social enterprise in Scotland. Detailed allocations will be announced in due course.

Margaret Burgess said: “An enterprising third sector is a vital component in our economy, civic society and in creating a fairer and more inclusive Scotland.

“This £20,000 funding will help social enterprise INSP support vendors who are selling street papers to work their way out of poverty and homelessness. In total, £250,00 will help support international social enterprise in Scotland.

“We are committed to tackling and preventing homelessness and support for frontline homelessness services working with the most vulnerable in our society.

“Homelessness has been falling in Scotland. Latest homelessness statistics published 13 January for the period July to September 2014 indicate continuing falls in recorded homelessness across Scotland.”

INSP Chief Executive Maree Aldam said: “As we celebrate our annual Vendor Week, INSP is delighted to receive this continued strong support from the Scottish Government.

“INSP is proud to call Scotland home. Many years of support from the Scottish Government have enabled us to work internationally, supporting the development of social enterprise in 35 countries.

“Vendor Week is enormously important to INSP. Across our network of 114 street papers, we are paying tribute this week to the 14,000 hardworking men and women who are selling street papers as a way out of poverty.

“Top Scottish politicians will don the red tabard today to take their turn selling the magazine as part of an event that raises awareness of issues around homelessness, while boosting sales for The Big issue and raising money to support INSP.“

Keeping Scotland’s homes warm

An additional £20 million will be invested to cut fuel poverty and improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s housing, Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil confirmed today. And with energy costs tumbling, Mr Neil also urged energy providers to implement price cuts NOW.

£6 million is earmarked for home energy efficiency programmes that will support measures such as solid wall, cavity or loft insulation.

An additional £14 million will be invested in low cost home energy efficiency loans available to households in the private sector to supplement existing grant schemes to help install energy efficiency measures.

This additional funding will take the Scottish Government’s investment to tackle fuel poverty and boost energy efficiency over the three years 2013/14 to 2015/16 to around £300 million.

Details of the loan schemes will be announced in due course.

Mr Neil said: “This Government is determined to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency head on, as this additional £20 million investment for energy efficiency measures demonstrates.

“Fuel costs have risen six times faster than incomes since 2003. In 2013, fuel prices rose by seven per cent, pushing more people into fuel poverty. The fact that this is happening in an energy-rich country is outrageous.

“Given the recent reductions in energy costs, all energy providers must implement price cuts now and not wait until the Spring.

“This additional funding means we have allocated over half a billion pounds since 2009 to make Scotland’s homes more energy efficient”.

“Over 700,000 households have benefited from measures like new boilers or insulation targeted in particular at those in or at risk of fuel poverty.”

Scheme to identify harmful drinking goes citywide

A successful pilot scheme that helps frontline staff identify problem drinking amongst elderly people in the west of Edinburgh is set to be rolled out across the city.

An advice toolkit was drawn up after alcohol-related harm was identified as a significant concern amongst those aged 65 years and over and living in the Almond and Western Edinburgh areas of the city.

A report about the scheme will be made to members of the Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee when it meets on Tuesday (10 February).

Staff training and the toolkit, which includes a unit measuring glass, phone numbers and information leaflets, has been well received and it is anticipated that similar training may be received by Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue and third sector partners in the future.

The scheme was created by the joint Almond and Western Edinburgh Neighbourhood Partnership Health and Community Care Sub-Group in collaboration with NHS Lothian who had concerns about drinking habits; these were supported by local health care partners and local GPs.

The next step is to roll the training programme out to third sector partners, equality groups and local businesses. Information sessions are also planned for GP surgeries, pharmacies, libraries and shopping centres.

Councillor Maureen Child, Communities and Neighbourhoods Convener, said: “Many elderly people enjoy the occasional tipple, and there is nothing wrong with that. This toolkit is aimed at those whose drinking habits are causing harm to their health and are in need of advice.

“Staff have been very positive about the pilot scheme and have welcomed the support it gives them to approach residents who may be struggling. It makes sense to roll it out to other areas of the city, and it’s fantastic that other organisations are also interested in using it.

“The health and well-being of our residents is the most important factor, especially with our ageing population. Anything that helps to reduce health inequalities should be welcomed.”

Lesley Taylor, Neighbourhood Support Service Manager for the Council, has taken part in the training. She works with vulnerable adults through the housing support service. Lesley said: “Our priority is to support the people we visit to make the best choices regarding their health and lifestyles. This toolkit has been extremely helpful by giving staff the confidence to talk to clients where there is a concern about their drinking habits. We’ve found that people are open to the advice and have been able to dispel some of the myths surrounding alcohol use.”

Eleanor McWhirter, NHS Lothian Lead in Alcohol Brief Interventions, said: “This pilot is a great example of community groups, NHS Health Promotion Service and the Council working together to promote the health and well being of the local population.

“It revealed that intervening early and focusing on the needs of local people can be effective in reducing alcohol consumption. We look forward to potentially expanding this work to other areas of the city.”

Scars on the City: new exhibition at Museum of Edinburgh

The hardship and horror of a war that reached beyond the front line to our own doorsteps has been captured in a new exhibition at the City of Edinburgh Council’s Museum of Edinburgh.

On display from today until 27 June, Scars on the City: Edinburgh in World War I draws on the Capital’s extensive collection of objects and oral archives to recall what it was like to be in Edinburgh while the war was raging.

Documenting the stories of local munitions workers, nurses and children – and including an account of war recruitment drives that thronged the city’s streets – the display homes in on the tragic zeppelin raids of April 1916 which destroyed local buildings and scarred the Capital.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said the exhibition offers a stirring glimpse at life on the home front during WW1. He said: “Scars on the City reveals the will of Edinburgh’s home front and how people coped with the hardship and dangers of the war. Most of the objects and photographs on display are from the city’s own archives, and have been based on fascinating accounts from those who lived through the unrest.

“Over the last year the Council has provided a programme of free exhibitions and events across the city which commemorate the centenary of WW1 and life on the front line. This free to visit display brings it back ‘home’ and recalls what life was like for those left behind. It’s hard to imagine Edinburgh’s skyline being attacked from the air by zeppelins, and it is stirring to see how the city was destroyed, but also how it survived and was rebuilt.”

Exhibition curator Vicky Garrington said she was spoilt for choice when it came to selecting objects for the exhibition. She commented: “We’ve got some wonderful objects that will really transport visitors back to wartime Edinburgh. There are pieces of shrapnel collected after the zeppelin raids on Edinburgh in April 1916. A Braille pocket watch used by a blinded ex-servicemen shows the sacrifices made to defend Britain, and younger visitors will enjoy seeing the toys and games children played with during the war, drawn from the Museum of Childhood collection.

“I was surprised to find out how clued up young people at the time were about the details of the War. Cigarette cards taught them about ranks, Army signals and artillery, while board games challenged them to evade mines and bombs en route to Berlin.”

Scars on the City: Edinburgh in World War I will be on display at the Museum of Edinburgh until 27 June 2015.

The Museum is owned and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Museums & Galleries service and is free to visit.

Workplace misery: new report exposes unfair treatment

Thousands unfairly treated at work

Thousands of Scots face unfair working practices which leave them in desperate and miserable situations, according to new evidence from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS).

Last year the Scottish CAB service saw 46,540 instances of unfair treatment at work – an increase of 5.5% on the previous year – and already this year the figures look set to be even higher.

Examples include unfair dismissal, non-payment of wages, cancellation of holidays, bullying, racism and denial of sick pay.

Many workers have told CAS they would like to take their case to tribunals but can’t afford to do so.

CAS new report ‘Fair Enough?’ sets out these problems in detail and suggests solutions to make Scotland’s workplaces fairer. It is being sent to Ministers, MPs and MSPs.

Publishing the report, CAS spokesman Rob Gowans said: “In Scotland we like to see ourselves as a generally fair, socially just country. Sadly, the evidence seen by CAB advisers every day tells a different story. We know that many Scots who are unemployed face severe hardship. But many who do have jobs are living on low incomes and also facing extremely unfair conditions at work.

“The evidence we present today is a snapshot of the kind of employment cases we see. Of course it’s important to say that most employers are fair and treat their staff well. But sadly it’s clear that there are many rogue employers in Scotland, and also that the system is in many ways stacked against workers who want to challenge unfairness at work.

“Some of the unfair employment practices we see put workers in difficult, complex and miserable situations. In exposing these today we want to raise awareness of these problems, but also to argue the case for change. All of the problems we identify in this report can be fixed, and we suggest ways of doing that.

“Because Scotland’s workers deserve better. And it is also in the interests of government and society as a whole that fair employment is promoted. Workers in low quality, stressful jobs have poorer general health, and poor daily quality of life than other groups – even those who are unemployed. It is also important to ensure that unscrupulous employers who wilfully undermine their employees’ basic rights do not gain an unfair advantage over fair employers.”

The sort of cases outlined in the report include:

People being dismissed in unfair circumstances, including for being off sick, attempting to take holiday, or informed of their dismissal by text message.
Employees who were not paid at all by their employers, in one case for six months’ full-time work.
Employers who failed to pay their employees’ income tax and national insurance leaving them to pick up the bill; and instances of clients paid considerably below the National Minimum Wage.
People who were unfairly denied sick pay when seriously ill
Employers refusing to allow employees to take paid holiday
Women who were dismissed when they became pregnant
Instances of racist and sexist bullying at work
Migrant workers who were exploited and made to work excessive hours
People who could not afford the fees to pursue an Employment Tribunal claim
Cases where a client won their case at an Employment Tribunal, and were awarded several thousand pounds, but their ex-employers managed to avoid paying them any of the money they were due
Many of the examples of poorest practice relate to people on zero hours contracts.

The full report:

Fair Enough Protecting Scotland’s workers from unfair treatment Feb 2015

Keir concerns over Local Plan

‘I fear traffic gridlock, major health issues and the holding back of the economic potential of our capital city and nation’ – Colin Keir MSP.

Edinburgh Western MSP Colin Keir has written to to Cllr Lesley Hinds, Convener of Transport & Environment at the City of Edinburgh Council, to express his fears over the latest Local Plan.

Mr Keir raises concerns over the ability of the existing roads network to cope with all of the proposed housing sites being released for development and also expresses fears over pollution and air quality.

In his submission Mr Keir states: “The city of Edinburgh is an economic driver for Scotland. We know that every town and city must grow. The difficulty our city has is that there is no connected vision between development and methods of sustainable transport that anyone is aware of in relation to the west of the city.”

The city council is expected to make a decision on the Local Development Plan on 26 February.

Lesley Hinds LDP letter

MHA welcomes tenants to new homes

Muirhouse Housing Association (MHA) has announced the completion of the first batch of flats within their latest development. The flats, on Macgill Drive at the end of Muirhouse Avenue, are part of their second development on the old BT Training Ground site.

MHA accepted handover of twelve cottage flats yesterday. The flats are all main door, within a traditional four in a block design, and are all one bedrooms. They are aimed at an older age group and the ground floor flats are fully accessible to wheelchair users.

The flats benefit from an efficient gas central heating system and reach the Silver Sustainable Standard of energy efficiency. The ground floor flats have a wet floor shower room, and the upper flats have an over bath shower.

All tenants will have access to a shared garden which in the next year will be developed to meet the tenant’s needs. This includes drying areas and amenity space. MHA will maintain the shared garden area and we hope it will be well used as a communal area.

Of the twelve flats, seven have been allocated to existing tenants of MHA who are either downsizing from family houses or require a ground floor flat due to medical reasons while the remaining five have been allocated to applicants from Edindex.

As a result of twelve new units being built, 19 households have been housed or re-housed to suit their current needs.

May and Alan Price (above) are among the families on the move. “We have lived at Muirhouse Close for eighteen years – since the houses were built,” May said. “Our family has grown up and moved on now and it made sense for us to move to a smaller home. I really like the new flat and I think this will be great for us; perfect, really.”

MHA Chairperson Roy Douglas (pictured above with Bank of Scotland’s Douglas Spowart) said: “We’re delighted to welcome our residents to their new homes today and we hope they will be very happy here. Everyone is impressed with the quality of these new flats and of course we will have more to come in the summer. These are exciting times for MHA!”

The second phase of the development also includes some mid-market flats which will be available in July. These two bedroom flats will be marketed by Muirhouse Homes, and are targeted at households in employment who do not require Housing Benefit/Local Housing Allowance. Advertising will start soon locally, and then will be expanded to cover the city.

If you are interested you can register your contact details with MHA and you will then be included in the marketing mailing list. Contact 336-5282 or email mh4@muirhouseha.org.uk