Police are hosting an online recruitment event on Thursday (28th January) from 6.30pm – 8pm, via Microsoft Teams.
The event will be aimed at our BME communities.
To reserve a space email: recruitmentpositiveactionteam@scotland.pnn.police.uk
So as we celebrate the birth of our national poet let’s celebrate our digital age as well. We’d like to ask you to “gie’s a hand” in our digital appeal.
Home learning can be an issue for those who do not have access to technology, especially during the unprecedented times we are all living through.
Can you help make significant change in your community?
If you have a laptop, mobile, tablet or any other device that could help us in our mission to help people, we would love to hear from you!
Many local schools are struggling to support families with home learning and children within our community are the future and our hope. They are our next generation of essential workers: doctors, teachers, politicians, engineers, and retail workers.
Victoria Primary School would be grateful for at least ten additional devices to help tackle these issues and to make sure those in disadvantaged situations are not punished long-term for a situation that is not their fault.
We will arrange safe collection of devices and have them cleaned and refurbished if necessary. After which, the school will distribute accordingly.
As you will understand, due to the current situation, we need to act as soon as possible.
If you can assist, we wholeheartedly appreciate any help you can provide at this time.
So “gies’ a hand”, and as you celebrate Rabbie Burns’ birthday, remember to play and watch our online Heart of Newhaven choir sing Auld Lang Syne.
With Scotland’s CAN DO Innovation Summit fast-approaching, the winners of its #SME stage competition are today unveiled, as further details of the programme for the virtual event on 3 February are announced.
The three winners of the competition, open to all small and medium sized Scottish businesses, were chosen from high-quality entrants who were asked to submit a short video demonstrating how they are building innovation into their daily practices.
The winners are rising stars from across Scotland – Edinburgh-based Scene Connect, Aberdeen-based Recycl8 and Edinburgh-based Space Intelligence. Getting a spot on the Summit’s SME stage gives the businesses exposure to a global online audience of over 800 investors, academics, entrepreneurs and innovators.
The winners will also benefit from two days of support from an Innovation Specialist at Scottish Enterprise.
This year’s CAN DO Innovation Summit, a headline event of the VentureFest Scotland festival of innovation, has been carefully crafted to support Scottish SMEs to build innovation-led recovery, resilience and sustainable growth after recent national and global challenges.
It will feature a speaker line-up of over 40 multi-sector SMEs and a range of innovation support agencies across 12 industry-led panel sessions.
Panel discussions and live Q&A sessions will run throughout the day covering the following themes: Journey to a Sustainable Future; Recovery & Resilience; Workplace Culture; Advance manufacturing & Digitisation; MedTech/Health Innovation.
Speaker highlights on the day will include world class keynotes: Lolita Jackson, Special Advisor for Climate Policy and Programs in New York City’s Mayor’s Office; Ivan McKee, the Scottish Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation; Craig Foster, Art Director at Pixar Animation Studios; Chloe Demrovsky, the youngest and first female chief executive to oversee and expand the Disaster Recovery Institute’s international network; Dyan Finkhousen, founder and CEO of Shoshin Works in the US and John Reid, CEO of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).
It has never been more important for business to be agile and creative – and over 800 delegates have already signed up to this year’s event, from Scotland, the UK and beyond.
They have given a range of reasons for getting involved, including aiming to make new connections; wanting to learn about progressive workplace practices and hoping to learn how new technologies can help them tackle business challenges.
Enabling connections is a key objective of the Summit, at a time when networking can be difficult in a virtual world. With multiple opportunities to connect with new people, share knowledge and ideas and explore opportunities for partnership, the Summit makes it easier than ever to spark new connections online.
Delegates can meet innovation leaders, support agencies, investors, entrepreneurs and academics through live Q&As, speed networking, 1:1s in the Delegate Hub, drop-in sessions and the Summit’s virtual Support Village.
Dr Laura Bell of the CAN DO Innovation Summit, said: “Recent events have created huge challenges for SMEs, who will now be critical to tackling the economic and societal challenges we are facing. This year’s Summit has been carefully crafted to help SMEs explore opportunities to develop new and better business models and to drive sustainable competitive advantage.
“Our virtual focal point for business will help SMEs adopt new technologies, build progressive working cultures and access the right support for innovation-led recovery and growth. We have a wide selection of world-leading experts and local talent lined up to speak at the event, as well as interactive sessions which can benefit SMEs across all sectors.
“I’d also like to thank our panel of judges for selecting three excellent winners to take their well-earned place in the spotlight at the Summit on the #SMEstage. We look forward to welcoming many more SMEs on 3 February.”
The #SMEstage competition winners were selected by an independent panel of judges made up of senior representatives from Scottish EDGE, Innovate UK and Scottish Enterprise.
The winners will have their moment in the spotlight at the Summit at 3.45pm when they will showcase how they are building innovation into their daily practices.
Evelyn McDonald said: “Judging the #SMEstage competition was a great way to start the year as it reminded us all that despite the challenges we are currently facing there are a wealth of entrepreneurs and businesses in Scotland creating new technologies to enable innovation led recovery and growth.
“Winning the competition will give the businesses access to a wide audience which will hopefully bring useful connections and support as well as linking them into invaluable support from Scottish Enterprise.”
This is the second Summit, following a successful inaugural event in Glasgow, and is the first time it has been held virtually.
For more information on the event please visit: www.candoinnovation.scot
Delegates can register for free here: https://www.registerforevent.co.uk/candoinnovationsummit/
With home schooling on the agenda for at least the next few weeks, a new digital tool from Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) Health & Education team, Farming Foodsteps, is offering a different way to engage in the sciences, home economics, maths and geography.
The free interactive resource is aimed at secondary school children and supports teachers and pupils in subjects across the curriculum through the story of red meat production, from field to plate.
As well as introducing the red meat journey and livestock farming, Farming Foodsteps also covers important messages around sustainability, the environment, food safety, careers and the role of red meat in a healthy diet. The preparation and cooking of red meat is also included.
Jennifer Robertson, Health & Education Manager at Quality Meat Scotland, who has school-age children herself, said: “Educators as well as the agricultural industry are keen to ensure that food and farming retains a significant place in the curriculum.
“Not only is it a key player in Scotland’s culture, but it can be easily integrated into subjects across the curriculum from literacy and geography to science, cooking and maths.
“It is also demonstrating to young people the many skills needed in modern agriculture, including technology, statistical analysis and environmental management in addition to the more traditional practices young people often associate with farming.”
Farming Foodsteps has been developed in line with the national curriculum and focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), a key priority of the Scottish Government and Education Scotland.
It sits on an easy-to-use interactive platform online, with five main lessons full of colourful presentations, interactive games and tools, editable worksheets, and quizzes ideal for the home learning environment.
The nature of Farming Foodsteps is that it can be taught digitally, and it can be intuitively worked through by a pupil who has access to a laptop, tablet or phone, without support from an adult.
The “Glorious Grass” activity found in Lesson 2 – To Field, is a real maths challenge bringing to life the science of grass and its importance to Scottish farming. The unique Scottish difference is also peppered throughout the resource.
Another science-based activity found in Lesson 5 – To Fork, focuses on the Maillard reaction that occurs when cooking red meat, often called the browning reaction, but could be called the flavour reaction too.
The resource has been devised by working parents who appreciate the struggle to balance work with schooling, and has been sense checked by children who have tested the resource and its accessibility at home.
Ms Robertson concluded: “Learning has definitely changed over the last few months, and we would love to see Farming Foodsteps bolster home learning for families across Scotland. We are asking families to share their experiences on our social pages, and we are here to support anyone who needs help getting to grips with it.
“Farming Foodsteps is all about interactive fun while delivering some important messages, and it is another step towards equipping a new generation with the STEM skills, knowledge and capability needed to thrive in the changing world around us.”
QMS’ Scotch Kitchen in Schools will be featuring a suite of recipe videos on Twitter (@scotchkitchensc) that can easily be created at home, whilst supporting learning in the Home Economics and Hospitality set curriculum.
You can find Farming Foodsteps at:
education.qmscotland.co.uk/farmingfoodsteps and on Twitter @scotchkitchensc.
Next Saturday will mark the first anniversary of the World Health Organization’s declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and next Sunday will be one year on from the first case of COVID-19 detected in the UK. It has been a terrible year as the virus has spread across the world causing misery, hardship, death and severely disrupting all of our lives.
The silver lining has been the incredible work of scientists and healthcare professionals across the world. If you had told me 12 months ago, that the UK would have discovered, in dexamethasone, the first treatment proven to reduce COVID-19 deaths, and vaccinated over 5 million people by this point, I would have been astonished. But that is the place in which we find ourselves. Hardship, but also hope.
Many people have played an important role in getting vaccines in arms, including the teams of researchers behind the development of the vaccines, the volunteers who took part in clinical trials, the Vaccines Taskforce who ensured we had supply of vaccine and the NHS staff and volunteers who are now working hard to administer them to people quickly and safely.
Their work has been incredible and we should rightly celebrate this.
Vaccines do offer the way out of the pandemic and a return to life as we knew it – having a pint before watching your local football team, multigenerational family gatherings and big weddings. These really will return! But to make that happen as quickly as possible we need to bring the number of cases down as soon as we can whilst we vaccinate our most vulnerable. To do that there are some important scientific points I want to highlight:
No vaccine has ever been 100% effective so no-one will have 100% protection from the virus. The way to reduce everyone’s risk is to break the chains of transmission and really push down the number of cases.
Vaccines work by tricking your body into thinking it has to fight the virus. It trains you for this fight by making antibodies and stimulating T-cells; then you are ready if you do come across the real thing. However, like any training, getting up to ‘match fitness’ takes time. Your body’s response, the immune response, is only fully trained up around 2 or 3 weeks after you have each of your 2 jabs. If you are older it’s better to allow at least 3 weeks. You can still get COVID in this time.
Even better and longer lasting protection then comes from the second dose so it is really important that everyone gets the second jab.
Really importantly we do not yet know the impact of the vaccine on transmission of the virus. So even after you have had both doses of the vaccine you may still give COVID to someone else and the chains of transmission will then continue. If you change your behaviour you could still be spreading the virus, keeping the number of cases high and putting others at risk who also need their vaccine but are further down the queue.
We still have a very high number of hospitalisations and deaths. A quarter of hospital admissions for COVID-19 are in people under the age of 55. Despite the speed of the rollout, these are people who will not have the vaccine for a while yet.
Some people are questioning the UK policy of trying to give as many at-risk people as possible the first dose of vaccine in the shortest possible time, inevitably extending the interval before the second dose is given.
But what none of these (who ask reasonable questions) will tell me is: who on the at-risk list should suffer slower access to their first dose so that someone else who’s already had one dose (and therefore most of the protection) can get a second? Everyone on the JCVI priority list is at risk from this nasty virus, and vaccines just can’t be produced at an unlimited rate.
It has been a very difficult year for us all and everyone, including me, is desperate to return to seeing the people we love. The vaccine has brought considerable hope and we are in the final furlough of the pandemic but for now, vaccinated or not, we still have to follow the guidance for a bit longer.
With all parts of the UK starting 2021 in lockdown, a new study has revealed that an overwhelming majority of jobseekers have been negatively affected by their search for work over the past year, with more than three quarters (76%) surveyed in Scotland attributing a downturn in their mental wellbeing to their job search.
The research, commissioned by BT to launch Stand Out Skills, also showed that the average jobseeker in Scotland has unsuccessfully applied for 15 different roles over the past 12 months.
When asked how rejections and the job search had affected them specifically, 42 per cent of jobseekers in Scotland responded that they had experienced decreased motivation, while 41% highlighted lower self-esteem and morale and a further 43% a reduction in self-confidence.
BT’s research also highlighted how this lack of confidence persists throughout the various stages of the job search. Just 25 per cent of those surveyed in Scotland are confident that their CV and covering letter will stand out when compared to fellow candidates, while even fewer (24%) believe in their ability to impress and leave a lasting impression in an interview.
This has led to jobseekers hiding details of their job search from their closest friends and family, with 39 per cent keeping job applications secret in case they are rejected and a further 46% being concerned about what family or friends will think of the rejection.
Added to the difficulties jobseekers already face, the research also went on to show that nearly half (41%) of those surveyed in Scotland admitted to struggling to find resources which could help them in their job search, including how to improve their CV and job interview technique.
As part of BT Skills for Tomorrow, which aims to help 10 million people in the UK make the most of life in the digital world, BT has launched Stand Out Skills. This initiative provides jobseekers of all ages with free and unmissable tips, resources and advice to support them in building their confidence and help them stand out in the job search.
BT has teamed up with experts and celebrities including Scottish comedian Iain Stirling, TV presenter Anita Rani and Drag Queen Divina De Campo to release free resources and advice across different stages of the job search – from where to start and showing your best self to standing out when applying and in interviews.
Hannah Cornick, Head of Digital Impact and Sustainability at BT, said: “The global pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for the job market, and it’s only natural that jobseekers’ confidence will have been affected.
“BT remains more committed than ever to its Skills for Tomorrow programme, and to ensuring that people have the skills they need to flourish in an increasingly digital world. This is why we have launched Stand Out Skills, to help those looking for work build their confidence by providing them with the necessary tools and resources they need to get ahead of the competition and stand out in their job search.”
BT Skills for Tomorrow is designed to help everyone – from school children and teachers, parents and families, businesses and jobseekers, to those lacking basic digital skills. Working in partnership with a range of the UK’s leading digital skills, enterprise and community organisations, BT has created and collated some of the best advice, information and support, in one easy to navigate place.
Comedian and Love Island narrator, Iain Stirling (pictured top) said: “As a stand-up comedian, I know it’s important to grab people’s attention right from the start, and the samegoes for your job application.
“Having an employer sit up and take note of your CV, cover letter and LinkedIn profile is the first step towards getting ahead of your competition. Words have the power to leave a lasting impact on an audience, so it’s important that you choose the right ones.
“That’s why I’m delighted to be involved in the BT Stand Out Skills campaign, to help people nail those job applications and present themselves in the best way on LinkedIn so that they can land their dream job.”
More on BT Skills for Tomorrow and Stand Out Skills can be found here:
Katrina Faccenda, Scottish Labour prospective candidate for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, has called for Scottish Water reserves to be used for Leithers and those further afield who have put up with the Seafield Stench for decades.
“The scandal of not using the cash stash of £391m to fully resolve the problem of the Seafield Stench just stinks. Less than a third of this is what is needed to meet the demands of local residents and fully resolve the problem,” she said.
“Huge growth and development of housing in the area means an ever increasing number affected. In power since 2007 the SNP Scottish Government have still not solved this problem despite a promise made then to do so. Kicking it into the long grass until 2030 is not good enough when the money is there.
“I call on local MSP Scottish Government Minister Ben McPherson to use his position to make this happen. The money is there – all that’s needed is the will to make it happen.”
Long-surrering Links residents are raising funds to take legal action against the SNP -Labour run City of Edinburgh Council.
Covid-19’s economic damage makes the task of improving Scotland’s economy and spreading prosperity almost four times harder according to Centre for Cities’ annual study of the UK’s major urban areas – Cities Outlook 2021.
30,900 people in Scotland’s largest cities now need to find secure, well-paid jobs to rebuild and improve the economy – compared to 8,600 last March.
In Scotland, Dundee faces he biggest challenge, followed closely by Glasgow.
| Scottish cities facing the biggest economic challenges post-Covid | ||
| Rank | City | Percentage point reduction in unemployment to rebuild and improve the economy |
| 1 | Dundee | 4.1 |
| 2 | Glasgow | 4.1 |
| 3 | Aberdeen | 3.4 |
| 4 | Edinburgh | 3.0 |
| Source: ONS, Claimant count 2020, population estimates 2019. |
In addition to hitting some Scottish cities and the rest of the UK as a whole badly, Covid-19 has also hit many previously prosperous places such as Edinburgh, Aberdeen and London disproportionately hard.
The Government must act fast to prevent a levelling down of these places that the whole UK depends on to create jobs and fund public services.
The UK and Scottish Governments should announce how they will use their respective powers to deal with Covid-19’s short-term damage to cities and large towns. The plans should include:
Acting to prevent further economic damage by Covid-19 is not the same as levelling up. Once the health crisis ends, the Scottish Government will need to spend additional money on further measures to level up, including:
Centre for Cities Chief Executive Andrew Carter said: “Covid-19 has made the task of improving Scotland’s economy and spreading prosperity around its cities and towns much harder.
“Rebuilding and strengthening the economy of Scotland and its cities will not be cheap and will require more than short-term handouts. Government support and investment for new businesses in emerging industries will be essential, as will spending on further education to train people to do the good-quality jobs created.”
Referrals from the NSPCC helpline to agencies in Scotland about children living with domestic abuse have increased by more than 30% during the pandemic.
The latest figures reveal that the average monthly number of referrals about this issue to Scottish agencies, such as police and local authorities, has risen from 32 in the first three months of last year to 42 in the remainder months. A total of 377 referrals were made between April 1 and December 31.
Across the UK, the average monthly number of contacts to the NSPCC helpline about this issue has increased by more than 50%. Concerned neighbours have increasingly reported hearing non-stop arguing and kids crying to the charity’s confidential helpline for adults worried about children.
The NSPCC’s frontline teams are concerned that the risk of young people suffering the toxic consequences of domestic abuse has been heightened.
One member of the public who called the Helpline for advice said: “For the past few weeks, I’ve been hearing loud and aggressive shouting between a man and woman who live a few doors away from me.
“They’re at it pretty much every day and it generally lasts a couple of hours. Sometimes I hear their children crying when the parents are arguing. I’ve only really noticed this since I’ve been at home on furlough. I’m worried the kids aren’t being looked after properly.”
Left unaddressed this form of abuse can have profound and long-term impacts on children’s physical and mental wellbeing that can last into adulthood.
Joanna Barrett, NSPCC Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager, said: “With families facing increased pressure behind closed doors, lockdown restrictions have made some children more vulnerable to experiencing domestic abuse, as well as other forms of abuse and neglect.
“It is vital that no child becomes invisible at this time, and support is available and provided now to all children and families who need it.
“It is also so important that people speak out if they are concerned about a child. Our helpline experts are there to answer any questions and concerns, provide reassurance or take quick action if we feel a child is in danger.”
Young people who experience domestic abuse can have trouble learning, depression or suicidal thoughts, or develop eating disorders drugs or alcohol problems.
One 13-year-old told Childline: “Recently my mum has been yelling at me and calling me names for no apparent reason. My parents fight a lot, like really a lot. My dad overreacts but mum makes the situation worse.
“Today my parents got in a huge argument that included a lot of shouting and my dad was throwing things at my mum. I was shocked because none of their fights have got physical before, and now I am wondering how bad things could get.
“My parents don’t talk anymore and they treat me like their little messenger passing comments between them. It is really affecting me as I constantly feel anxious and cry myself to sleep. I really need help.”
Anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse or has concerns that someone else may be can contact the NSPCC’s Helpline for information and advice on 0808 800 5000, email help@nspcc.org.uk or fill in our online form.
A DIGITAL service, to add to the support available for people in Edinburgh
who are homeless, has been developed by researchers and community
partners, including leading Scottish homelessness charity, Simon Community
Scotland.
The website and an accompanying app – called Street Support Edinburgh –
provides advice, support and resources for homeless and vulnerable people,
plus the wider Edinburgh community who want to help and emergency services
personnel.
Street Support Edinburgh has been developed as part of a project by the
University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Homeless Inclusion and Health (CHIH)
and the Manchester-based Street Support Network.
Information includes providers of meals, drop-in services, food banks and
accommodation.
The digital hub also features advice on financial help, health services
and training and employment opportunities.
Organisers say the resource provides a vital service to vulnerable people
and the community by providing accessible information in one easy-to-use
location.
Advice on Covid-19 and support available during the pandemic has also been
added.
The information hub has been launched by the University of Edinburgh and
the leading homelessness charity, Simon Community Scotland, which runs the
Streetwork service in Edinburgh.
Researchers at the University’s School of Informatics have assisted with
technical aspects of the project.
Street Support Edinburgh features content from more than 30 organisations
and has been backed by both Police Scotland and The City of Edinburgh
Council.
The platform is the first resource of its type in Scotland. Organisers
are hoping to offer similar digital provision elsewhere in Scotland.
Dr Fiona Cuthill, director of the Centre for Homelessness and Inclusion
Health at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Street Support Edinburgh is
a great opportunity for the University of Edinburgh to build on our
existing community networks and to work together to help to reduce
homelessness in our city.”
The Street Support Network has assisted in the launch of similar Street
Support services in several locations in England, such as Portsmouth and
Cambridge.
Lorraine McGrath, chief executive, Simon Community Scotland, said: “A year
of Covid-19 has been hugely challenging, but it has also forced all of us
to rethink how we deliver our services and reach the most vulnerable
people on our streets, with some incredible outcomes.
“Lockdown created the opportunity for organisations in Edinburgh to come
together and almost eradicate rough sleeping in the city. It has shown us
what we can achieve by collaborating, being creative and keeping people at
the heart of what we do.
“Street Support Edinburgh is a natural progression for us in connecting
the talent, expertise and commitment of people and organisations across
the city in preventing homelessness and the need for anyone to ever have
to sleep on our streets.”
The Street Support Edinburgh website is available to access at
https://streetsupport.net/edinburgh.
The app is available to download from the Apple App and Google Play stores.
Colin Beck, chair of the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership at
The City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I welcome this innovative way of
providing information, which will help people connect.
“Knowing how and where to get help and support is a crucial component of feeling included. I realise there are access issues for some people and we must search for
solutions to help people connect.”
