North Edinburgh Arts to host employability event

North Edinburgh Arts Centre is to host a major Employability event later this month. Organised by Forth Neighbourhood Partnership, ‘Employability in Forth’ follows on from a successful event held at Edinburgh’s Telford College which looked at local employability issues and initiatives.
Employability in Forth
Tuesday 18 September  2012
10.30am – 12.30 followed by buffet  lunch
North Edinburgh Arts  Centre
15a Pennywell  Court
Following  the Employment Networking Event held  at Edinburgh’s Telford College earlier this year  we would like to invite you to a follow up session.
A final programme for  the date will be sent out soon but will include:
  • An update on progress on Edinburgh’s Employability Service from the Council’s Employability and Skills team.
  • A presentation from Stevenson College and Community Renewal on how the new Integrated Employment Service (Hub) will impact on Forth.
  • Reflection on the discussion at the networking event and further discussion on the best way of addressing employability issues in Forth.
    A summary of  the findings from the Telford College event:

    Summary of discussion at networking event

     Youth Employment 16-19 – How can we help improve the number of young people going into employment and other positive destinations? 

    City wide and National issues

    • Need to increase training capacity across the city
    • Need to look at incentives to take on a young person (converting benefits into wage subsidy?). SDS Employer Recruitment Incentive relevant here.
    • More Modern Apprenticeships.
    • Fund projects that get people directly into jobs.
    • 21st century homes programme should include employability initiatives and apprenticeships, build into the master planning process at an early stage

    Schools and youth agencies

    • Need more vocational courses built into schools and make them on par with academic routes.
    • Increase Careers advice in schools – time spent per pupil
    • Make sure school leavers are aware of choices.
    • Increase opportunities for part time work at schools.
    • Improve links between schools and outside agencies.
    • Need to engage with 12/13 year olds before they become disaffected.
    • Bring local people into schools, including slightly older young people in the job market to “tell it like it is”.
    • High drop out rate of young people from the educational system in the area – need a partnership approach to this
    • Stronger links with local youth agencies
    • Early intervention – teach employability skills in Youth Centres. 

    Mentoring/Attitudes/ Presentation Skills

    • Need to look at building the work ethic and correct attitude to work
    • There are jobs are available – young people need relevant skills and attitude.
    • Most vulnerable have challenges in interview presentation, personal confidence/appearance. Can we make preparing for a work interview a more viable option – Interviewing makeover programme designed and delivered by partners & College.
    • Recognise the value of activity that is not directly job related.
    • Confidence building is the key skill needed to address this issue – e.g. Duke of Edinburgh awards
    • Mentoring and 1 to 1 work makes the difference with young people likely to fail. Can we get higher profile on this? Is there a link with Forth Voluntary Sector forum that could be scaled up – possibly part of TOTAL PLACE project?

    Business Links

    • Involve small businesses.
    • Need strong and sustained links to the business community.
    • Opportunities for local jobs – where are the employers? They need to be part of any action plan, and contribute to better outcomes. Care Sector will have openings locally but perhaps more suited to 20+.
    • Refocus work of SBC – excellent example of recent school projects

    Training/Support

    • Consider putting in place here an innovative supported one stop, integrated accommodation/training /support model for young people Ref Aberdeen Foyer model.
    • Improve links with Telford College Construction faculty
    • More pre-vocational courses needed
    • Use innovative ways of engaging. Community Renewal use informal “ pizza night” approach to inform young people of opportunities

    Strategy/Processes

    • Need a clear strategy for what we want to achieve. Identify who are the key local partners who can actively contribute as part of solution, and stakeholders – these are both important but different things.
    • Need specific statson the scale of this problem in North Edinburgh? E.g. we know that Craigroyston has lowest qualifications, but are we clear which aspects/priority group we need to target – the farthest away from employment, or those who need better direction and are closest to it?
    • Review how we measure and monitor outcomes for longer term benefits
    • Simplify the process and make it clearer to understand for young people and their families

    Employment of those in 20 plus age group: What can we do to help this group into employment?

    City wide and National issues

    • Get more support from large public employers – Council/NHS.
    • Job Centre Plus should be integral member of this partnership – they have new programmes many of us were unaware of and we can join up on how we promote: e.g. work experience programme.
    • More potential for employers to pay a wage for work placements
    • Simplify the process of taking short term and part time work (benefit issues). Allow people to continue on benefits whilst they take part in work experience. If a full time student there are rents/ benefits issues

    Business Links

    • Can SMEs help?
    • How can employers tap into these young people who have successfully come through training and/or work experience

    Training/Support 

    • Improve training in IT Skills.
    • Need to increase the opportunities available – limited support for over 25s. Focussing on 16-19yr could be at expense of this group.
    • Use more Work based training – e.g. CLD Youth Work degree.
    • Provide funded access to learn driving as this opens up job opportunities and builds self-esteem , motivates (Birmingham project over 2 years provided mopeds+ driving test support, then passed mopeds on to next recruits) ; SQA have a qualification that provides evidence for theory test.
    • College is not for many of this group.
    • Difficult to get a second chance for training.
    • Most vulnerable of this age group need a programme similar to younger age group to move on from past errors. Many are parents so could be reached via the schools.

    Mentoring/Attitudes/ Presentation Skills

    • Need to look at role models for people (third generation unemployment, who do they look to?)
    • Home circumstances sometimes do not support a work ethic so how do we support them better
    • How do we apply the carrot and stick?
    • Ask people want they want or need.
    • Hopelessness is a key issue for this age group, but many have a family to support so can motivate, be a key driver, links to schools.
    • Get appropriate local people of this experience and age group to be part of the solution – get a voice.
    • Buddy programme for people from this age to mentor younger ones – need positive role models.
    • A key focus is how to help this age group keep jobs once they have them. 
    • Improve Money management skills – Financial literacy is now a huge issue for 3rd generation of unemployed in families
    • Literacy issues
    • Health issues – mental health issues still area of concern in area

    Other key focus areas – What other key issues could be addressed by partnership working?

    City wide and National issues

    • Different agencies having different geographies – eg Job Centres, Scottish Government.
    • Benefits Changes likely to be detrimental.
    • Community Jobs Scotland – can we do it here? Like S Lanarkshire Youth Jobs fund model, funding paid for local officer, working with a number of organisations to coordinate and direct.
    • Look at potential to include providing local employment opportunities as a part of planning process
    • Crime and anti social behaviour impacts on young people even when they are not directly involved – often as victims.

    Coordination

    • Is there duplication of services locally? So many organisations and short term initiatives makes it had to know what is going on. This gets in the way of joint working
    • Need to simplify structures, increase transparency, work more jointly on service (consortia) and think about longer term initiatives
    • Need to get better at sharing good practice and being open about ideas and services.
    • Strategic overview – planning what is needed in an area.
    • With so many services it is difficult to know who to refer to?
    • Encourage and reward Partnership working

    Funding

    • Danger that simplistic outcome-based funding can work against partnership approach
    • Promote /Develop a “common good fund” – based on £xx contribution from key partners to use for targeted interventions.
    • Important to note the impact of central cuts to funding of local employability projects
    • Short term funding leads to interruptions of planning process

    Information

    • Making sure that all partners have knowledge.
    • Need good labour market information – especially locally.
    • Join up guidance, information and advice locally – forum?
    • Use social media to engage with young people

    The way forward – What is the best way to address these issues locally?

    Structures/Processes 

    • A Forth Action Group supported but think membership should be reviewed- include service providers e.g. Chamber of Commerce, Community Renewal
    • A Forth Employment Action Group be useful but should focus on business and life skills
    • An Action Group could be useful for networking and co-ordination of services
    • Needs to have a clear purpose and have teeth and continuity and commitment.
    • Any Action Group needs a strong effective chair and secretarial support.
    • Meet say twice a year to review outcomes and progress, impact, gaps /next priorities, once groundwork established.
    • Involving local people in processes is important.
    • Short life working groups may be useful.
    • May be best to have a series of themed workshops/forums on issue we want to tackle – and also have 2/3 plenary meetings a year.
    • Cross agency meetings about particularly difficult young people/groups of young people – GIRFEC approach – could be useful.
    • Look at Gate 55 as an ideal model (?).

    Priorities/Issues

    • The initial focus could be on 16-19 year old group.
    • Need to look at how resources can be shared
    • Need to capture local knowledge and advocate for services needed by the community (evidenced approach)
    • Need to build relationships between organisations – joint training sessions around key issues.
    • Get Job Share involved in future activity. 
    • Get clients to come along and describe their experiences and identify flaws/opportunities.
    • Get Challenge Fund MCMC group involved in future activity.
    • Need a review of funding – a more strategic approach to make best use of funding
    • Look at an Action Plan

    Next Steps 

    • Hold a meeting to feedback on the issues raised at Networking event – to plan what action, who should be involved. Look to involve young people (Youth Forum/Parliament?) and employers.

Muirhouse Housing Association celebrates twenty years in North Edinburgh

Muirhouse Housing Association marked an important milestone when they celebrated their twentieth birthday in style at Muirhouse Millennium Centre on Saturday. With loads of fun things to do for the kids and presentations to longest tenants and management committee members, the day was a great success.

Happy birthday MHA – here’s to the next twenty years! 

MHA Chair Roy Douglas with Management Board members
Chair Roy Douglas with oldest tenant – who’s 88!
Brenda Tonner with her MHA staff team
Happy birthday MHA!

 

 

 

 

Fire safety advice for freshers

As a new academic term starts Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service is urging students to put fire safety at the top of their agenda for the years ahead:

Part of becoming a student is enjoying the freedom of being away from home and living with new friends. This can be a very enjoyable experience but it can also be daunting.

Living in halls of residence or rented accommodation means that you are responsible for looking after your own health and safety. Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service work with universities and colleges to ensure that halls of residence are safe places to live, through the provision of free home fire safety advice for residents and ensuring that fire-warning systems are installed and maintained correctly.

As a resident within halls of residence, you have an obligation to ensure that the fire warning system and firefighting equipment are only used in an emergency. Unwanted false alarms caused by deliberate or malicious actuation of fire warning systems is a criminal act, which may result in prosecution, but more importantly, may lead to a delay in fire appliances responding to a genuine emergency elsewhere. Your university or college may also consider appropriate disciplinary action against students involved in such activities.

Whilst partying, smoking and drinking are all part of a student lifestyle, it is important to remember that this could put you at a higher risk of fire.

Make sure you know what to do if fire breaks out. Our advice is to get out, stay out and call 999 asking for ‘Fire’. Never attempt to tackle a fire yourself. If you are trapped by fire, get to a window if possible and dial 999. Fire Control will give you fire survival advice until firefighters can reach you.

Cooking and cigarettes are two of the most common causes of fire. In student accommodation, we are also often called to fires started by candles and tea lights. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Don’t cook or smoke under the influence of alcohol and never leave candles unattended. If you have been drinking heavily you may be slower to respond in an emergency.

Tips on keeping your accommodation safe

  • Never leave cooking unattended
  • Never leave candles unattended
  • Keep candles away from flammable surfaces or textiles
  • Don’t cook or smoke indoors when you’ve been drinking alcohol
  • Don’t overload plug sockets
  • If a fire starts get out, stay out and dial 999
  • Practice an escape route with your housemates
  • Check furniture has the permanent fire resistant label
  • Take extra care with cigarettes and smoking materials. Don’t smoke in bed.
  • Extinguish cigarettes properly before you go to sleep
  • Switch off electrical appliances, like mobile chargers and hair straighteners, when not in use
  • Secure portable heaters up against a wall, so they don’t fall over. Keep them away from curtains, furnishings, never dry clothes on them.
  • Know your escape route in an emergency. Make sure you and your housemates know the quickest way out in the event of fire and consider an alternative route in case your usual one is blocked.
  • In all properties, the landlord must ensure gas appliances are installed and maintained annually by a registered plumber.
  • Know your rights. Landlords are responsible for supplying safe gas appliances and electrical wiring

Free home fire safety advice is available here: http://www.lbfire.org.uk/fire_safety/safety_home.htm and a free home safety visit can be arranged by calling 0800 169 0320 or by emailing community.safety@lbfire.org.uk

Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service

Film screening to support WaterAid charity

A recently-established Edinburgh group is to hold a special one-off screening of ‘Even the Rain’ (Tambien la Iluvia) to raise money for the international development charity WaterAid – and the film’s award-winning screenwriter Paul Laverty will host a question and answer session following the screening.

The screening will take place on Thursday 27 September at 7.30pm at SYHA Edinburgh Central, on Haddington Place, Leith Walk, and is the group’s first fundraising event for WaterAid, the charity which enables some of the world’s poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene.

Even the Rain is a 2010 Spanish drama about Mexican director Sebastián (Gael García Bernal) and executive producer Costa (Luis Tosar) who travel to Bolivia to shoot a film depicting Christopher Columbus’s conquest. Sebastián and Costa unexpectedly land themselves in a moral crisis when they and their crew arrive at Cochabamba, Bolivia, during the intensifying 2000 Cochabamba protests, which their key native actor Daniel (Juan Carlos Aduviri) persistently leads. The film was directed by Icíar Bollaín, based on a screenplay by Paul Laverty.

The film’s central  theme of the fundamental right to access safe and clean water, is also one of the principal aims of WaterAid.  Angela Lafferty, a member of WaterAid’s Edinburgh local group and one of the event organisers, said: “For me, this event is not only about raising money but about reminding us all that we need water to live. We all use so much of it in our daily lives but many of us never think about where it comes from, who controls and manages it and how much it costs. One in eight of the world’s population are not as lucky as we are in Scotland, but we can change that!”

In the developing world, diarrhoeal diseases caused by poor sanitation and unclean water kill 4000 children every day – more than AIDS, malaria and measles combined.  Just £15 can enable one person to access a lasting supply safe water, sanitation and hygiene. Funds raised at this special screening will enable WaterAid to transform the lives of some of the world’s poorest people throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific Region. Tickets are £10 (including a glass of wine) and should be booked online at: www.eventelephant.com/eventherain

Forthquarter Festival cancelled

The North Edinburgh Community Festival has been cancelled. The event was due to take place on 29 September, but organisers say that the annual event must be cancelled due to ‘unforeseen and insurmountable circumstances’. The decision comes just a week after a succesful community gala was held at West Pilton Park.

National Grid hosted the first new community festival at Forthquarter Park in 2008, attempting to join the established North Edinburgh and new Waterfront communities together by recapturing the community spirit of former gala days. The festival was popular and well-attended, particularly in the early years, but organisers have now made the tough decision to cancel the 2012 event. A meeting will be held later this year to determine the future of the Forthquarter Park event.

In an email yesterday, Granton Parish Church Minister Norman Smith, who chairs the North Edinburgh Festival Committee, explained: “I am sorry to have to inform you that due to a combination of unforeseen and insurmountable circumstances, the North Edinburgh Festival Committee is left with no choice but to cancel the community gala planned for Saturday 29 September. We realise that, given the success of previous years’ festivals, this will be a big disappointment to everyone who has attended in the past. We wish to thank each and every one of you for all you have done to ensure the event went ahead, however the combination of uncertainties has mean we have little option at this time but to cancel. While any one issue would not have given the need to cancel the event – the combination of issues outwith the committee’s control or influence has left us in an insecure position. We will be convening a meeting later this year, around November, to discuss next year’s event and how we can avoid this situation reoccurring. Thank you for your support.”

 

Watch the birdies! SELEX golfers raise £5000 for Woodlands

SELEX Galileo Edinburgh Charity Golf Committee Raises over £5000

Last week the SELEX Galileo Edinburgh Charity Golf Committee was proud to present Woodlands School with a cheque for £5000. School pupils Findlay Gillespie and Ann Marie Mooney and Head Teacher Aisling Boyle thanked the committee for the funds which will be used to build an all-weather play area for the children.

Also present was the winner of the Golf Championship, Kenneth Wilson of Walker Precision Engineering and committee members Richard Gillies, Robert Creegan, John McHugh, David Kelly and Marie Cooper.

SELEX Galileo

 

 

NEN man grilled by Forthview P5s!

I paid a visit to Forthview Primary yesterday to meet the P5 children and talk about the NEN and how North Edinburgh has changed over the years. It’s usually me who asks the questions when I’m out and about, but the tables were well and truly turned yesterday! It was great fun, though, and I promised to post the childrens’ comments on the visit on the NEN blog (see below). ‘Super duper smart and cool?’ – that’ll do me!

In P5A Dave came into talk about a newspaper called the NEN. He was very nice and all the information was outstanding. It taught me a lot. I was very happy. I think he has done a good job and thank you for letting us keep the amazing newspaper.

Demi

When Dave came to visit from NEN, he told everybody a lot of interesting information, like about before there were any speed bumps. We also learnt about a nursery that got set on fire. Dave was super duper smart and cool. We had a great time.

Louise

This morning Dave from the NEN news came into our class and told us about himself and why he wanted his job. He wanted his job because he said it would be good working at a place about where he lives. After he gave us all a newspaper each and everybody had a look at it. I learned that he did more than one job.

Natalie.

Thanks, P5!

Man found in Pilton street with stab wounds

An investigation is underway after a man in his 20’s was found lying in West Pilton Bank earlier today with stab wounds. The man was found by two members of the public who called the emergency services and the man was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment.

His injuries are not throughout to be life threatening.

Lothian and Borders Police are investigating the incident and the road was closed while forensic officers searched the area.

Police attended the scene were the male was discovered. (Picture: Robert Pearson)

A spokesman for the force said: “Police responded to West Pilton Bank around 11.25am today after a man in his 20s was found with a number of significant cuts to his neck and arms.

“The man was taken to hospital for treatment, however his injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

“Enquiries are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding this incident and anyone who can assist police with their investigation is asked to call immediately.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on0131 311 3131.