Month: March 2016

Community Conference: now it’s time for action

Action Groups formed based on community priorities

20160211_131535

Five new Action Groups have been formed following last month’s community conference at Craigroyston Community High School.

The conference, organised by Community Action North and Granton Improvement Society supported by Craigroyston High School’s Community Centre, gave local people an opportunity to identify the main issues affecting the area. Participants then worked in small groups to look in detail at these topics and went on to form Action Groups to work with others to find short, medium and longer term solutions to the area’s problems.

The Action Groups are:

  • Big Picture (Economy, Employment & Decision Making)
  • Community Spaces & Environment
  • Crime & Community Safety
  • Housing
  • Youth

More than fifty local people took part in the event and it’s hoped that many more with attend a follow up event in the autumn.

A spokesperson for the conference organisers said: “The weather on the day was really dreadfully so we were delighted that so many people made the effort to attend. There was a lot of enthusiasm and many ideas were generated at the conference and the Action Groups will now take these ideas forward and plan the way ahead. There are lots of changes happening in the area just now and it’s important that local people are involved and have a say in the decisions that affect their lives.”

If you would like to be involved in the Action Groups or want more information about CAN, email comunityactionnorth@gmail.com

Community Conference Report

Ring any bells?

nedac

Angus Hardie’s article in the latest issue of Local People Leading gives food for thought: 

Here’s a cautionary tale of two charities. Both deliver drug and alcohol services but that‘s where the similarity ends.  Lifeline is based in Manchester, delivers services across the UK, employs around 700 staff and generates a turnover in excess of £42m – 26% up on last year.  The Castle Project is based in the Craigmillar estate of Edinburgh, generates an income that just about covers costs, and for the past 27 years its only priority has been to serve the needs of that community by developing a complex network of support for its clients.

The DNA of these two charities could not be more different. Lifeline, driven by an insatiable appetite for growth, successfully tendered for the contract previously held by the Castle Project.  Having to compete for ‘market share’ is anathema to the Castle Project and so it will close its doors next week – 27 years of local knowledge and experience thrown out with the procurement bath water.

In our Vision paper (below) we call for a thorough reappraisal of how services are procured and for a new premium to be placed on services that are genuinely locally based. Local By Default isn’t just a slogan – it’s part of the solution.

Best wishes

Angus Hardie, Director

Email: angus@scottishcommunityalliance.org.uk


 Local People Leading -FINAL V

Letter: Save adult single ticket books!

 Lothian_Bus

Dear NEN

As an organisation responsive to the needs of vulnerable people I thought that you might be concerned by the decision of Lothian Buses to stop selling books of adult single tickets.

These tickets are bought by a number of services including many hostels, day centres and food banks. These tickets are used to enable individuals to get to health appointments and engage with vital services.

This decision by Lothian Buses restricts the ability for services to offer such provision. Lothian buses say that paper tickets bought in advance make up less than 1% of total sales. However, these less than 1% are made up of some of the most vulnerable people in our city.

Please sign if you agree with this petition by clicking the link below:

Please circulate around your networks. If you have any questions about this then please email me.
Also, if your service is impacted by this then please let me know how.

Many thanks,

Paul Stevenson

Email: mrpaulstevenson@gmail.com

 

Trinity Academy publishes school magazine

writers block

Trinity Academy pupils have produced the first edition of The Writers’ Block, a new school magazine.

S6 pupil Callum Watson, who edits the magazine, is already looking forward to the follow up issue and is inviting contributions from the school community. Good luck with the new venture, Trinity!

The-Writers-Block-Issue-1

We Call Ourselves the Weirdos!

 Zoo Arts Exhibition opens at North Edinburgh Arts

the opening

Zoo Arts has been exploring the themes of portraiture, the face and masks over the last eight weeks (writes Kirsty Reynolds).

We’ve manipulated, embellished and transformed our faces in our weekly sessions, using them as a base for self expression and character creation. This exhibition is a showcase of some of our experiments involving the face and how we have played with altering it using drawing, collage, costume and photography.

Artists involved in the project are:

Patrick Harvey             Filip Glanowski             Jenny Souter

Aidan Wrubel               Antek Krzos                  Lauren Davis

Caedon Bentino          Amber Walker              Graham Wark

Kitty Yang                     Claire Graham             Sally Price

Jakey Yang                  Anne Chen                   Kirsty Reynolds

Zoo Arts is a weekly art group that welcomes anyone between age 9 -14 on Wednesdays from 4pm-5.30pm at North Edinburgh Arts. Join us!

The exhibition runs until Saturday 23rd April 

meet the artists
The artists in the group shot are: Top L-R:  Kirsty Reynolds (Facilitator) , Lauren Davis (Volunteer) , Filip Glanowski, Claire Graham, Sally Price (Facilitator), Patrick Harvey, Antek Krzos. Bottom L- R: Patrick Harvey, Antek Krzos, Caedon Bentino, Amber Walker, Kitty Yang. Bottom front: Jakey Yang
Photography by Graeme K Cunningham
pop up photo booth amber centre artist