Day: October 4, 2022

Dyslexia Awareness Week: How to support your child if they have a learning difficulty

This week is Dyslexia Awareness Week (4th– 10th October) and an education expert has shared five pieces of advice on how to support children if they have learning disabilities.

Interestingly, research conducted by Oxford Home Schooling revealed that while overseeing their children’s learning during lockdown, many parents spotted potential signs of a learning difficulty.

Nearly half (47%) identified symptoms of dyslexia (difficulty reading, writing and spelling), whilst more than one in four (29%) observed possible indicators of dysgraphia (impaired handwriting or spelling).

To help parents who now think their child may have a learning difficulty, Greg Smith, Head of Operations at Oxford Home Schooling, has put together a guide on how best to support your child and what your next steps should be.

1. Get your child diagnosed

If your child’s difficulties are having a significant impact on their learning, it’s a good idea to have them tested for a condition and diagnosed.

A diagnosis can open the door for your child to receive appropriate learning support in school. This includes allowing them extra time in exams and being supported by a teaching assistant, so it’s a good idea to look into this as early as possible.

If you’ve observed signs that your child may have a learning difficulty, you should speak to your GP, who can either make the diagnosis themselves, or refer the child for the appropriate tests.

2. Speak to your GP

Once a child is diagnosed with a learning difficulty, you should consult your GP. They will then be able to recommend and refer you to an appropriate specialist for support1.

Specialists can include speech and language therapists, educational and clinical psychologists and paediatricians, among others.

3. Make the school aware

Once you have an idea of the areas where your child is struggling, you will need to make their school and teachers aware of the situation.

This will allow the school to put extra support in place should your child require it. They will need time to consider how the condition might affect the child’s learning and work out how best to adapt their teaching.

4. Talk to others

Many parents find it difficult to process the diagnosis of a learning difficulty and it can be a challenge to adapt to your child’s new needs.

Don’t be afraid to seek out the support of other parents who have experienced similar situations. There are many support groups and forums out there for advice, and you and your child can even build new friendships.

5. Support your child

The important thing to remember is that you need to support your child, whether this is with their learning, or any other aspects of life that they struggle with.

Being diagnosed with a learning difficulty is by no means the end of the world and children with such conditions go on to enjoy rich and fulfilling lives.

You will need to be patient, and it may be challenging at times, but with the correct support system in place your child will be fine.

For information on the benefits of homeschooling for children with learning disabilities and special educational needs, head to this page: 

https://www.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/special-situations/

Whitburn shopper scoops a record-breaking £1,519 for local foodbank at Aldi Supermarket Sweep

The winner of Aldi’s Supermarket Sweep in Whitburn has raised a record-breaking £1519.28 for a local foodbank, while picking up £759.64 in Aldi favourites for himself.  

Aldi’s popular Supermarket Sweep recently arrived in Whitburn and lucky shopper Scott Gibson, who was chosen as the winner of a competition after entering at Aldi’s tent at the 200th Royal Highland Show in June, took part in the five-minute trolley dash for charity on 4th of September.  

As well as taking home a trolley full of goodies, Scott successfully found the hidden inflatable in store, meaning Aldi Scotland doubled the total value of his haul and donated the lump sum to his nominated charity, West Lothian Foodbank. 

Aldi Supermarket Sweep winner, Scott Gibson, said: “I want to say thanks to Aldi for such a fun evening. When I entered the supermarket sweep competition at the Royal Highland Show, I didn’t expect such a challenge!

“The staff were so friendly, and I am delighted to have raised such a great amount for the local foodbank.” 

Kathleen Neilly, West Lothian Foodbank manager, said: “I would like to say thank you to Aldi Scotland for providing us with support during these hard times all of this donation will be used to buy food to help our local people that’s in a crisis.” 

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said: “We are proud that the Aldi Supermarket Sweep is a firm favourite across the country, and we are so pleased to have brought it back this year.

“Congratulations to Scott who managed to raise an incredible £1519.28 for West Lothian Foodbank and snap up a whole load of Aldi treats for himself.” 

Foundation Scotland has distributed over £150 million 

Major funder has supported over 12,000 organisations across the country 

Foundation Scotland, Scotland’s community foundation, has to date distributed over £150 million to more than 12,000 organisations making a difference the length and breadth of the country. 

From local food banks to counselling services, to youth groups to training funds, the major funder has awarded over 44,000 grants in total to charities, social enterprises and community groups across Scotland since they were established in 1996 

Foundation Scotland is an independent foundation that specialises in supporting charitable initiatives within local communities. 

The funds awarded to projects within Scotland’s communities are thanks to the generosity of donors who support the Foundation’s work. The breadth of donors includes individuals, families, companies, community bodies and other charities that work with the Foundation to set up and distribute charitable funds.

The Foundation connects donors’ funds with community organisations working on the ground, ensuring their support stays relevant to local circumstances to deliver real impact.  

Throughout the pandemic, the team at Foundation Scotland worked relentlessly to bring in new funds to meet the unprecedented demand from communities throughout the crisis. New donors such as The National Emergencies Trust helped the funder to distribute over £37 million in the two years that followed the first lockdown in 2020.   

Using the Foundation’s extensive knowledge and proven reach within communities, the funds were distributed quickly to where they were needed most.

Thousands of groups across Edinburgh and Lothians have received vital support from Foundation Scotland.  These include organisations such as Edinburgh Tool Library (above), Edinburgh Women’s Aid and North Edinburgh Dementia Care. 

The funder continues to work closely with communities across Scotland to identify and support the most critical needs emerging during cost-of-living crisis, working with new and existing donors to create funds for charitable groups. Being able to distribute additional funding is as much a priority now as it was throughout the pandemic.

Giles Ruck, Chief Executive at Foundation Scotland, said: “Reaching this significant milestone of over £150 million distributed to date is an outstanding achievement. For over 25 years, we’ve maintained our vision of supporting confident, thriving, resilient communities across Scotland, and we look forward to continuing this support to deliver continual impact.  

“We know that local groups are best placed to offer support as they have the knowledge, passion and determination to deliver exceptional results.    And for every community to thrive, it should be resourced to match its vision and powered by transformative funding.

“Thanks to the generosity of donors, corporates and individuals, we have collectively enabled and empowered thousands of vital local projects, such as Aberdeen Sailing Trust, to transform lives for the better.   

“We are currently experiencing overwhelming demand for funding, and we will continue to work hard to reach and connect with new donors keen to distribute funds effectively at a local level so that together we can continue to deliver extraordinary support.” 

From grantmaking to social investment opportunities, legacies to bursaries, Foundation Scotland is continually developing innovative and effective ways for donors to help Scotland’s communities thrive.

Anyone interested in supporting their work can contact: development@foundationscotland.org.uk or call 0131 524 0300. 

For more details, visit https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk

Fringe Society launch mass listening project in 75th anniversary year

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is undertaking its biggest feedback drive in years following the conclusion of the 2022 festival.  With the return of artists and audiences on a scale not seen since before the pandemic, there was heightened interest across a range of areas last August.

As the festival joins other global cultural events on the road to recovery, the Society team are seeking input from a wide range of Fringe constituents as it looks to address the key challenges and opportunities ahead.

Seeking input from artists, audiences, venues, producers, workers, community groups arts industry delegates, and those with access needs; over the next fortnight the Fringe Society will be inviting insight and detail on a range of topics. 

From the recent Fringe experience to accommodation costs, barriers to participation, and the work of the Fringe Society, the detailed surveys will provide data to support the team on convening the right partners to address these issues.

The results of this consultation process will feed into work being undertaken following the launch of the new Fringe development goals last June.  In consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, the six goals set out to develop a Fringe which has thriving artists, supports fair work, removes barriers, creates a sense of good citizenship, supports net zero ambitions and ensures a world-class digital experience. 

In taking the opportunity to learn from everyone’s experience of the 2022 Fringe, the Fringe Society will use this data to bring together the right people and partnerships to work towards solutions, and advocate for greater support to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Fringe.

Shona McCarthy, CEO of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said: “This year’s Festival was the first step on the road to recovery and we know the biggest challenge is the next 3 years. 

“It’s important that we gather evidence and case studies from our Fringe participants so that we can ensure the Society is armed with the facts and best equipped to make the case for where improvements can be made in advance of Fringe 2023. 

“We encourage everyone to take time to complete the survey specific to them and to provide as much information as they can.”

Sustained progress needed on Scotland’s National Performance Framework ambitions, says Holyrood’s Finance Committee

In a report published yesterday, the committee sets out a suite of recommendations aimed at ensuring the NPF is a “much more explicit” part of policy making.

This begins, says the committee, with the Scottish Government making clear how it will use the NPF in setting national policy, and in collaborating with local government and wider Scottish society.

The report also says Scottish Government funding decisions need to be aligned with NPF outcomes, and that greater scrutiny and accountability is required.

Finance and Public Administration Committee Convener Kenneth Gibson said: “The NPF remains an important vision of the type of place Scotland should aspire to be, but there needs to be more sustained progress towards achieving that vision.

“While there is no single solution, of key importance is positioning the NPF as the start of a ‘golden thread’ from which all other frameworks, strategies and plans flow, through to delivery on the ground.

“We recommend that the government explicitly set out how its policies will contribute to the delivery of specific NPF outcomes, their intended impact on NPF outcomes, and approaches to monitoring and evaluation.

“Similarly, government funding decisions should also be aligned with National Outcomes. From the wide range of organisations we heard from the NPF is not currently seen to drive financial decisions, nor is it a mechanism by which organisations are held to account for spending effectively.”

The report also makes recommendations for strengthening and refocussing scrutiny – including by parliamentary committees – over how organisations have regard to the NPF.

FPAS622R8Download

Holland & Barrett launch new Menopause services as research reveals two-thirds of women suffer in silence

– Two thirds of women do not talk about the menopause, with 61 per cent citing for fear of ‘judgement’ –

– A quarter who have spoken about their experience say they were ‘menosplained’ –

– Holland & Barrett partners with TV presenter, Cherry Healey, to launch the menopause Pause & Listen Pledge for a more supportive society –

– Alongside training 4,000 Holland & Barrett colleagues to advise on the menopause –

New research has revealed that almost two thirds of women (61 per cent) say they do not talk about the menopause, with 61 per cent citing for fear of being ‘judged’ and treated differently as the reason.

Despite 83 per cent of women saying that the menopause is less of a taboo subject now than it has ever been, one in three (33 per cent) said they have had experienced a negative reaction, such as shutting the conversation down, when they had spoken about what they were going through and how they were feeling.

As a result, only half (51 per cent) said they feel comfortable speaking to their family and friends regarding the matter.

In response to the research, Holland & Barrett, the UK’s leading health and wellness retailer, has partnered with TV presenter Cherry Healey to launch the menopause Pause & Listen Pledge where people are being asked to promise to unconditionally listen to and support people experiencing the menopause.

A quarter (24 per cent) said they had even experienced ‘menosplaining’ with people trying to explain their menopause back to them rather than listening. Women said they would feel supported (43%), normal (37%), confident (17%) and less anxious (15%) if they simply had someone listen to their experience without interruptions or judgement. 

Holland & Barrett has long supported menopausal women – over 50 years – and this Pledge launches alongside training 4,000 of its colleagues to advise on the menopause. People can sign up to the Pledge in store and via the Holland & Barrett website.

Fiona Sweny, Wellness Futures Science Lead at Holland & Barrett said: “There has been real progress made in recent years to bring the menopause to the forefront of the conversation, thanks to the many high-profile women who have been openly speaking about their experiences in the media.

“However, while awareness has improved, there is still a big job to be done in helping women feel heard. We know everyone’s journey is different and while we won’t pretend to know how an individual’s experience feels, we can promise to be there to listen, support, and offer guidance and invite others to join us in this promise.”

Cherry Healey, TV Presenter said: “Since recently being diagnosed as perimenopausal, I’ve been fortunate enough to have been supported and listened to, yet I sadly know this isn’t the same experience for so many.

“That’s why taking part in Holland & Barrett’s Pause & Listen Pledge is so important to me – we must get more women talking openly about their experience, the good, the bad and the ugly, so they receive the support they need, and the only way we’ll achieve this is if we create an environment where women feel listened to, without judgement.”

The retailer has also opened a number of Menopause Pause & Listen Rooms in city stores across the UK. These dedicated rooms will offer a calming space and cool spots, to speak with a trained menopause adviser. An exclusive partnership with the charity Menopause Mandate will also be announced later this month – another example of the retailer’s focus to encourage women to openly talk about the menopause and to ensure they are being listened to.  

The Pause & Listen Pledge 

We won’t pretend to know how your menopause feels.

We won’t say millions of people go through it every day.

We won’t tell you to just get on with it.

We won’t say “You’re way too young to go through the menopause”.

We won’t make light of your menopause.

We will give you the chance to offload.

We will help you try to find ways to get through it.

We will understand that your menopause is unlike anyone else’s.

We will show you that you don’t have to do this alone.

And above all we will always listen and support you.

£198,000 National Lottery Community Funding for ACE IT Scotland

ACE IT Scotland, an Edinburgh-based charity that helps older people to access the digital world, is celebrating after being awarded £198,000 in funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.

ACE IT Scotland will use their funding to empower even more older people across the city and beyond, to improve wellbeing and combat digital exploitation, exclusion and loneliness.

This new National Lottery funding will enable ACE IT to expand their services across Edinburgh and into Midlothian, engage meaningfully with more older people through focus groups, and target minority groups and non-English speakers.

The funding starts this week and aims to support 900 learners over three years, as well as recruiting 50 new volunteers to help deliver the service.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. The National Lottery Community Fund distributes a share of this to projects to support people and communities to prosper and thrive. 

Iain Couper, manager at ACE IT Scotland said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding gives us the stability and resource to grow our services over the next 3 years.

“Having experienced a surge in demand for our digital skills coaching services, we have clear evidence that older people need the skills to get online and to do so safely, more than ever.

“We welcome this opportunity to build upon our 20 years of experience in this area and expand our services across the community to reach more people than ever before, empowering them to live with more independence using digital devices and online services.”

Arlene Raeburn, ACE IT learner, said about the help she received: “I would say to anyone, no matter what their skill level, that using ACE IT to become more IT proficient is an excellent way forward.

“I am grateful for the help and friendly advice which I received from my volunteer tutor.”

During the pandemic, in 2020 alone, The National Lottery Community Fund distributed almost £1 billion to charities and community organisations across the UK.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk  

To learn more about ACE IT and get involved, visit www.aceit.org.uk

Scottish Secretary attends ceremony to mark Dunfermline’s new city status

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has taken part in an event to mark Dunfermline officially becoming a city, after the new status was awarded as part of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Their Majesties King Charles III and the Queen Consort visited the former town for a ceremony to hand over the Papers Patent, which officially confirms Dunfermline as Scotland’s eighth city.

Inside the City Chambers, King Charles III presented the official documents to Provost of Fife, Councillor Jim Leishman, in front of an audience of invited guests.

Speaking ahead of the event, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “Being awarded city status represents a very special moment for Dunfermline and its community.

“It is particularly poignant, and a true honour, that Their Majesties King Charles III and the Queen Consort will be present at the event, marking their first official engagement since the end of formal Royal mourning.

“This Royal ceremony heralds an exciting new chapter in Dunfermline’s history, and I am delighted to attend and celebrate this wonderful city’s rich heritage and promising future.”

Charities invite public to join biggest ever conversation about nature

Eighty three per cent of adults in Scotland believe nature is under threat and urgently needs more done to protect and restore it, according to polling from the RSPB Scotland and WWF Scotland.

The majority have seen a decline in nature and wildlife in their local areas; with close to half (47%) expressing a willingness to take action themselves to avert a nature crisis.  However 39% don’t feel empowered to do so. 

The results come as three of the UK’s biggest conservation charities join forces with celebrity champions Maisie Williams and Cel Spellman to launch the People’s Plan for Nature, inviting the nation to have its say on how the UK solves the ongoing nature crisis.

Through both a UK-wide conversation and the first ever citizens’ assembly for nature, the charities are inviting the public to share their ideas and together develop a set of public demands to tackle the nature crisis – calling on the leaders of all four nations to take action before it’s too late. 

The charities feel the time is ripe for co-creating a proposal for nature’s recovery as the polling shows that the people in Scotland already would like to see improvements in their local areas, including: 

  • more action for cleaner rivers, waterways and seas (49%), 
  • more protection for nature in the planning and housebuilding system (33%) 
  • strengthened legal protection for nature, wildlife, and habitats (36%).

People from Scotland and the rest of the UK can submit their thoughts on the future of nature in the UK on peoplesplanfornature.org by the 30th October.

The charities have also partnered with Future Art Centres (a network of independent cultural centres across the UK) to help facilitate the nationwide conversation. The public will be invited to add their ideas to specially-designed tree installations at 30 Art Centres around the country.

The trees can be found at venues including Eden Court in Inverness, Lyth Arts Centre in Caithness, Lairg Learning Centre, Pearce Institute in Glasgow, and Glasgow Science Centre.

The two charity chiefs, Lang Banks (WWF Scotland) and Anne McCall (RSPB Scotland) said in a joint statement: “This summer saw Scotland experience record-breaking temperatures and adverse weather conditions that caused drought conditions, wildfires, and other harm to its nature and wildlife.

“Extreme heat led to fears of crop loss, contributing to the cost of living crisis everyone is experiencing. The twin nature and climate crises affect everyone, so everyone should be involved in the conversation about how we address them. 

“The majority of people in Scotland say they have witnessed a decline in nature and wildlife in their local areas, according to the polling: 62% in the amount and variety of insects they see including butterflies and bumblebees and 54% in birds; 57% in the number of mammal sightings such as hedgehogs, badgers and otters and 53% in green spaces such as parks and woodlands. And many have seen this decline in some form in the last five years alone (60%).

The reality may be even worse than people think; in the five decades since consistent scientific monitoring began, there has been a 24% decline in average species abundance across monitored wildlife in Scotland.

The 2019 State of Nature Scotland report reveals that 49% of Scottish species have decreased, and that of the 6,413 species found in Scotland that have been assessed, 11% are threatened with extinction.

A representative group of 100 people from across the UK will come together as a citizens’ assembly to develop a set of recommendations to help and restore nature in the UK, starting in November this year. The leading charities are also bringing in celebrity champions to support the campaign, starting with Maisie Williams and Cel Spellman.

Emmy-nominated actor, activist, and producer Maisie Williams said: “The People’s Plan for Nature is the chance for all of us to come together and fight for nature before it is too late.

“I am so excited to join this vital conversation and play a part in protecting and restoring the wildlife that means so much to me and countless others. For me, it’s about birdsong – it always reminds me of home, and I’m scared that I will wake up one day and won’t be able to hear it anymore.

“We must act now – and the most powerful thing we can do is use our voices, collectively. So let’s join this fight together and bring our nature back to life.”

Actor, presenter and activist Cel Spellman: “The People’s Plan for Nature gives us a rare opportunity to unite and bring about desperately needed change for our natural world.

“We have all turned to and appreciated nature like never before in the last few years. For me, spending time immersed in the natural world is my medicine, it’s good for the soul, body and mind. Yet the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. 

“Nature needs us now more than ever, and this is the time for us all to stand up, take action and use our voices to protect and restore our precious wildlife species, ecosystems and environment. Together we can make a real difference.”

Mariyah, aged 10 from Glasgow: “I’m super excited about the launch of The People’s Plan for Nature as I love getting outdoors and having fun with my friends and family. Nature and the outdoors just makes me so happy and I wish that we can all enjoy the beautiful nature that we have in Scotland throughout our whole lives!”

The People’s Plan for Nature will give a voice to everyone to share their ideas, asking the public: “what do you love about nature in the UK? What would you miss if it disappeared?” to get their feedback on how to thwart the nature crisis and to understand what people would like to see for the future of UK nature and wildlife.

One in two experiencing more anxiety about being able to pay their bills, warns British Psychological Society

The British Psychological Society has warned of a potential mental health crisis this winter as it publishes new figures that reveal one in two people are experiencing anxiety about being able to pay their bills as a result of the cost of living crisis.

The new findings lay bare the toll the cost of living crisis is having on people’s anxiety and mental health following energy price cap rise this winter and the current economic uncertainty.

The data, collected by YouGov on behalf of the BPS, reveals that 51 per cent of respondents who did not already have a diagnosed mental health condition reported feeling more anxious about being able to pay their bills than this time this last year.

One in five people (21 per cent) without a previously diagnosed mental health condition reported that worrying about money was making them feel depressed, and only just over a quarter of all respondents, (27 per cent), said they felt confident they could get by financially this winter.

Following the energy price cap rise on 1 October, and the turbulent economic situation facing the country, the BPS is sounding the alarm about the potentially devastating impact the cost of living crisis could have on people’s mental health, and the strain this increased anxiety may have on already struggling mental health services this winter.

While the energy bill support from the government is welcome, the BPS has warned currently there is not enough support targeted to those on the lowest incomes, and highlights that as well as energy bills, people are highly anxious about being able to afford food and fuel this winter, (52 per cent of all respondents were concerned about not being able to afford food/groceries over the next year, and 50 per cent were concerned about affording fuel over the next year).

Sarb Bajwa, Chief Executive of the BPS, said: “The cost of living crisis is critical, immediate and severe and disproportionately impacting those that need support the most.

“As well as the practicalities of being able to heat homes and put food on the table, people are also carrying the mental health load of living under this strain. We are incredibly concerned that many simply will be unable to cope, with nowhere to turn to get help as services are already stretched and struggling to cope with soaring demand.

“We urge the government to target support to those on the lowest incomes and benefits, and make sure that there is the necessary funding in place for mental health services so they can try and cope with the inevitable surge in demand we will see this winter.”

The survey highlighted that some groups in society are significantly more anxious about the impact of the cost of living crisis. Those already diagnosed with a mental health condition, women, young people and those from a lower socio-economic status expressed more anxiety.

Key findings reveal:

  • 62 per cent of those with a mental illness/condition reported feeling more anxious about being able to pay their bills than this time last year, causing concern about increased demand on services.
  • 44 per cent of those with a mental illness/condition also said that worrying about money is making them feel depressed.
  • 61 per cent of all females reported feeling more anxious about being able to pay their bills than they did this time last year compared with 47 per cent of males.
  • 30 per cent of females said worrying about money was making them feel depressed, compared with 26 per cent of males.
  • Female respondents were more concerned about being able to afford various household costs over the coming year, including energy bills (77 per cent of females versus 65 per cent of males).
  • Concern also differed by age, with those aged 35-44 were more likely than other age groups to say they feel more anxious about being able to pay their bills than this time last year (63 per cent of those aged 35-44 versus 55 per cent of all respondents).
  • Unsurprisingly those from lower socio-economic status groups were more concerned about being able to afford food/groceries (61 per cent of respondents in the C2DE group compared with 52 per cent overall).