Category: Stockbridge

Young people to help shape the future of their schools

 

The review into the way schools are run is seeking direct input from those most affected by Scotland’s education system – children and young people themselves, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said during a visit to Broughton High School yesterday.

In September, Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced the start of a major governance review, with the presumption that decisions will be devolved to school level. Underlining the commitment to involve and listen to pupils, the Scottish Government is funding work to gather their perspectives.

Young Scot, in partnership with Children in Scotland and Scottish Youth Parliament, is taking forward the engagement programme, which will secure input from a diverse range of young people with different life experiences – including those from urban and rural settings, in the care system, and who have a disability.

Announcing £60,000 to support this work over the next three months, Mr Swinney met today with some of the 90 pupils taking part in the first engagement session at Broughton High School in Edinburgh. He said: “Our review is about ensuring schools deliver the best outcomes for children and young people, with teachers empowered to make decisions about learning within schools, supported by parents and the local community.

“I’ve committed to listening to teachers, practitioners and partners. It’s also crucial that we seek the views of children and young people – on what works well with their learning and in their schools and where improvements can be made.

“The feedback gathered by Young Scot, Children in Scotland and the Scottish Youth Parliament will make a valuable contribution to the review process, shaping our mission to deliver excellence and equity throughout our education system.”

Louise Macdonald, Chief Executive of Young Scot, said: “Any conversation about the future of schools, education and learning needs to have children and young people at the heart. They are experts of their own experience, and it is vital they are given the opportunity to share their insight and their views about what matters so much for them today and in the future.”

Children in Scotland Chief Executive Jackie Brock said: “We believe that children and young people have the right to influence policy and legislation that has an impact on their lives. Hearing from school pupils about how their experience of education could be improved is a key part of this and we are delighted to be partners in a project with such a strong emphasis on consultation and engagement with our young people.”

Amy Lee Farioli, Vice Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said: “Empowering children and young people to have their say in decisions that affect them is a fundamental right that all children and young people have. It is essential that they are involved in making decisions about their learning and the learning environment. We see activities like today’s event as vital for shaping the positive involvement of young people as equal, meaningful partners in decisions for the future.”

 

Bumps to Bairns Nearly New Market: Sunday 23 October

Bumps to Bairns Nearly New Market

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Do you have nearly new and in good condition maternity, newborn, toddler, junior clothes, toys, bric a brac, etc. looking for a new home? If so, why not take a table at the “Bumps and Bairns” event on Sunday 23 October at Saint Stephens Stockbridge from 10 – 4pm.

The cost will be £20 a stall and there will be a £1 entry fee which will go to the Benzies Foundation and the restoration project for Saint Stephen’s Stockbridge. If you’re keen to run a stall, please email your name, address, number and what items you plan to sell to susie.coupar@benziesfoundation.org

Find treasure at StockFlea this weekend

We still have some stalls free but are keen to spread the word so we can get as many people coming in over the Saturday and Sunday. As well as Flea stuffs (vintage, music and sports memorabilia, bric a brac, furniture etc) we have crafts and cakes and bands. Music on Saturday is by Not Dead Yet and music on Sunday is by aspiring musicians from Broughton High School. There will be a £1 entry fee which will go towards the restoration on the building project.

Saint Stephen’s Flea Market this weekend

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SAINT STEPHEN’S STOCKBRIDGE

FLEA MARKET 10TH AND 11TH SEPTEMBER,10am – 4pm

Due to popular demand, Saint Stephens Stockbridge will be hosting a Flea Market on the 10th and 11th of September. If you are keen to take a stall/table, please let us know ASAP (info@saintstephensstockbridge.com)

For one day, a table will cost £35 or £50 for both days. Vintage clothes, bric a brac, antiques etc all welcome, it’s a great opportunity to clear some space!

Your community needs YOU! – be part of something great!

Community Council nominations open on Monday

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Nominations for Edinburgh’s community councils open on Monday (5 September) and the city council is calling on people passionate about their area to play an active role and be part of something great! Continue reading Your community needs YOU! – be part of something great!

We love our charity shops!

Britain is a nation of charity shop lovers – but 97% of Scots will use a charity during their lifetime
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  • More than eight out of ten of us (86%) have bought an item from a charity shop
  • Older people, women and people living in more affluent areas are the most likely to have bought something from a charity shop
  • Nearly every household (98 %) in the UK has used a charity at some point

The UK is a nation of charity shop lovers with more than eight out of ten of us (86%) having bought an item from a charity shop, according to the latest research by the Charities Aid Foundation.

Older people, women and people living in more affluent areas are the most likely to have bought something from a charity shop. People living in rural areas are also more likely to have bought something from a charity shop than their urban counterparts.

The research reveals that those in the  East of England are the biggest charity shoppers with Londoners being the least likely to have ever bought something.

The figures form part of a wide-reaching report, Charity Street II, which examines the way people use charitable services and their awareness of the scope of charitable services.

The figures show that nearly every household (98 %) in the UK has used a charity at some point and on average people have used about six charitable services in the past year.

But awareness of which services are provided by charities is surprisingly poor.

Around a quarter (23%) of the population are unaware that the charity services that they or someone in their household used were, in fact, run by charities. Given a list of 16 services provided by charities, less than one in ten people were aware they were all provided by the voluntary sector.

The report shows:

  • Charity shopping is more popular among those living in the UK’s most affluent areas, where 90% reported having ever bought an item compared to 82% of people living in the most deprived areas;
  • More than seven in ten people (71%) aged 65 or over bought something from a charity shop last year. This compares to 53% of 18-24 year olds, with people becoming more likely to buy from charity shops as they get older;
  • In rural areas 91% of people have ever bought something from a charity shop; in urban areas the figure in 84%;
  • 93% of people living in East England have bought something from a charity shop compared to 80% of Londoners.
  • Women buy things from charity shops more than men, with seven out of ten (70%) having bought an item in the past year, compared with just 54% of men;
  • The other most common ways people have used charity services are visiting a charity run gallery, museum, garden or stately home (69%); visiting a church or religious institution run by a charity (46%) getting advice or information from a charity website (45%) and attending a university (44%)

Susan Pinkney, Head of Research at the Charities Aid Foundation, said: “Gone are the days when there was a stigma attached to charity shopping with our figures showing that people in more affluent areas are on average more likely to be charity shoppers.

“Charity shops can be high street treasure troves, selling cheaper, second hand goods and often promoting ethically produced and ‘fair trade’ items.

“But crucially, charity shops do not just rely on the shoppers. Their success is built on many different acts of altruism, from those who donate goods to the tens of thousands of volunteers who help to work to run them.

“Our research also highlighted how much we all rely on charities without necessarily realising it. A huge amount of British public life is supported by generosity. And a lot of us are unaware of the scope of charities in the UK.”

The UK has more than 10,200 charity shops and 85% of goods sold in charity shops are from donations, according to the Charity Retail Association.

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is one of Europe’s largest charitable foundations, providing advice, financial services and research to help people and companies give to causes they care about.

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