Next week sees the return of Colin Keir MSP and Michelle Thomson MP for their surgeries (writes James McGinty). Both attract large amounts of people with their general inquiries.
Colin is on the first Monday of the month whilst Michelle is on the first Friday of the month. We would encourage people to use these services.
To visit their websites click HERE for Colin and HERE for Michelle
Dogs die in hot cars warning
The Scottish SPCA is urging pet owners not to leave their dogs in hot cars as the temperatures rise this summer.
Scotland’s animal welfare charity has also warned that earlier this year a woman from Stirling was convicted after leaving a dog in the boot of her vehicle on a hot day.
Concerned members of the public have already been contacting the charity’s animal helpline after seeing distressed dogs left inside warm cars. The Scottish SPCA is keen to remind the public that they may be risking their dog’s life by leaving it in a hot car for even a short period of time.
Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said, “Most people know what it’s like to get into a car after it’s been sitting in the sun. It’s unbearable and we immediately roll down the windows or turn on the air conditioning.
“Imagine being trapped inside a hot vehicle wearing a fur coat for minutes, possibly hours, and you are some way to understanding how a dog left inside a hot vehicle feels.
“Many people might not realise that even on warm, cloudy days, cars can effectively turn into ovens and dogs can overheat in minutes.
“Leaving a window open or providing water is simply not good enough. Dogs can’t sweat the way humans do and need to pant to cool down which can lead to severe dehydration and hyperventilation.
“We run our campaign every year but we continue to receive a large number of calls from concerned members of the public each summer and we fear some owners don’t fully appreciate the danger they are putting their pets in.
“In April a 45 year old woman from Stirling was convicted for leaving a dog inside the boot of her car without water for approximately one hour on a hot day. She was banned from keeping animals for five years.
“Tragically the Yorkshire terrier, which belonged to the woman’s father, was diagnosed with heatstroke and died after suffering a cardiac seizure.
“We hope this case serves as a warning to other owners who may be tempted to leave a dog in their vehicle on a warm day. Our advice is to leave dogs at home as it is simply not worth the risk.”
Scottish SPCA posters highlighting the dangers of leaving dogs in hot
cars are available to be displayed in local communities. To request
copies please phone the charity on 03000 999 999 selecting option 5 or
email fundraising@scottishspca.org.
THURSDAY 14 MAY
10.30am – 1.30pm
Are you looking for a new job? A change of direction? looking to get some new skills or start a course … need some help?
Find out more about real jobs, training and learning opportunities near you!
Meet representatives from a range of organisations that can advise and support you with applications, updating your skills, volunteering, caring and more. City council Welfare Refrom officers will also be available to provide advice on benefits and housing.
It’s all available today at Muirhouse Library and Pennywell Shopping Centre – check it out!
Muirhouse Library and Shopping Centre will host an Employment and Learning Fair between 10.30am and 1.30pm this Thursday (14 May).
The event is aimed at both adult jobseekers and young people looking for advice and support to get into work or learning in North Edinburgh. Organisations attending the event will include employability providers from the local area as well as employers with vacancies to fill.
Community Renewal is one of the organisations involved in the jobs fair, and emplyment adviser Diana said: “Previous events have resulted in jobseekers securing interviews on the spot so jobseekers are advised to come prepared with CVs and dressed to impress!”
Are you confused with the Party manifestos at the forthcoming General Election? (writes James McGinty)
Cammy Day (Labour) will run a drop in to Muirhouse Millennium (Community) Centre from 12 noon -1.00pm on Wednesday 6 May to explain any issues or queries you may have.
So come along at any time between 12.00 and 1.00 pm and either add your questions or sit and listen to other peoples questions and prepare yourself for a very important General Election. The meeting will take place in our boardroom initially (dependent on community response).
James McGinty, Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre
Councillor Gavin Barrie, Convenor of the Licensing Regulatory Committee would like to extend an invitation to a meeting on Wednesday, 29 April 2015 from 6pm – 7.30pm in the European Room at City Chambers.
There have been many queries from organisers so this evening should provide lots of useful information for those of you who are thinking of organising a Community Event or Gala Day.
Councillor Maureen Child will join us to sit on the panel for the Question & Answer session along with Catherine Scanlin, Licensing Manager and Gordon Hunter, Licensing Policy & Project Officer.
Agenda:
6pm Coffee
6.15pm Introduction from Councillor Barrie
6.25pm Presentation from the Licensing Service
6.45pm Questions and Answer Session
7.15pm Closing remarks
Could you please confirm your attendance by emailing isla.burton@edinburgh.gov.uk
Please let us know if you require any assistance to attend or take part e.g. large print, disabled access requirements, travel arrangements, hearing loop, etc. We look forward to meeting you all!
New legislation aims to help the most vulnerable
New legislation comes into force today (Wednesday, April 1) which sees Scotland introduce one of the most modern systems of debt advice and debt management in the world.
The Bankruptcy and Debt Advice (Scotland) Act introduces a suite of measures, including the Minimal Asset Process, which offers debt relief quickly and at less than half the cost of an application for bankruptcy under the previous equivalent scheme for those on low incomes.
Accountant in Bankruptcy will oversee implementation of the new law, which has been designed to balance the rights of those in debt with the needs of creditors and businesses.
The introduction of the legislation is the latest element in the Scottish Government’s vision of a Financial Health Service for Scotland, which commenced with the launch of the Scotland’s Financial Health Service web portal in December 2014. The site is a one-stop shop for advice on a range of money issues, signposting users to organisations offering information and advice on debt, managing money, housing, homelessness and ethical lending.
Other measures as part of the new legislation include:
Business Minister Fergus Ewing said: “This new law places Scotland firmly at the forefront of efforts on how to help some of the most financially vulnerable in society.
“These measures have been developed following years of consultation with experts across the financial advice community and from studying how other nations deal with issues of personal debt.
“It is only proper that we seek to do everything we can to help financially rehabilitate families and individuals on low incomes and with little by way of assets who are struggling with debt, while still offering a fair deal for those owed money.
“Taken as a whole, this pioneering legislation seeks to bring dignity to those people in Scotland seeking to break the cycle of debt once and for all.”
Seventeen year old Dionne McFarlane is a leading light in the Scottish Government’s GIRFEC initiative. The local girl is in her final year at St Augustine’s High School but she’s also pretty busy delivering presentations and facilitating workshops around children and young people’s issues. Dionne’s been called Edinburgh’s GIRFEC ambassador. What’s GIRFEC? Read on …
GIRFEC (Getting It Right For Every Child) is a consistent way for people to work with all children and young people. It’s the bedrock for all children’s services and can also be used by practitioners in adult services who work with parents or carers.
The approach helps practitioners focus on what makes a positive difference for children and young people – and how they can act to deliver these improvements. Getting it right for every child is being threaded through all existing policy, practice, strategy and legislation affecting children, young people and their families.
For children and their families GIRFEC means:
For professionals working with children GIRFEC means:
Putting the child or young person at the centre and developing a shared understanding within and across agencies
Using common tools, language and processes, considering the child or young person as a whole, and promoting closer working where necessary with other practitioners
Providing leadership and strategic support to implement the changes in culture, systems and practice required within and across agencies to implement Getting it right for every child
Planning for the transition as staff in agencies move from the current working processes to the new child-centred processes
The GIRFEC approach is based on solid foundations: there are ten core components and a set of values and principles which bring meaning and relevance at a practice level to single-agency, multi-agency and inter-agency working across the whole of children’s services. They can be applied in any setting and circumstance where people are working with children and young people.
The core components are:
A focus on improving outcomes for children, young people and their families based on a shared understanding of wellbeing
A common approach to the proportionate sharing of information where appropriate
An integral role for children, young people and families in assessment, planning and intervention
A co-ordinated and unified approach to identifying concerns, assessing needs, and agreeing actions and outcomes, based on the wellbeing Indicators
Streamlined planning, assessment and decision-making processes that lead to the right help at the right time
Consistent high standards of co-operation, joint working and communication where more than one agency needs to be involved, locally and across Scotland
A Named Person for every child and young person, and a Lead Professional (where necessary) to co-ordinate and monitor multi-agency activity
Maximising the skilled workforce within universal services to address needs and risks as early as possible
A confident and competent workforce across all services for children, young people and their families
The capacity, proportionately and appropriately, to share demographic, assessment, and planning information within and across agency boundaries.
That all sounds pretty complicated – how did a 17 year old girl from Crewe get involved in delivering the GIRFEC message?
“It might sound complicated, but it’s not really”, Dionne said. “It’s really just about making sure the support for the child is always there. IS the child safe? Is the child healthy? It’s about the whole wellbeing of the child – this is about emotional, not educational, support”.
Dionne first got involved almost two years ago, when Minister for Children and Young People, Aileen Campbell, wanted to find out what wellbeing means to Scotland’s young people. Ms Campbell invited young people to send in either a written piece or a drawing about what wellbeing meant to them.
There were over 300 entries from young people aged between 11 and 15.
“I read up about it and thought that this was something I would be interested in. I entered – my choice of subject was ‘bereavement’ – and I thought that was that. I was busy with other things and had pretty much forgotten all about it when the Scottish Government got in touch to say I was one of twelve winners”.
You can find Dionne’s entry here
http://www.wellbeingforyoungscots.org/about/winners/dionne
Dionne was the only young person from Edinburgh to be invited to Victoria Quay to participate in workshops with the Scottish Government to produce all the information on the www.wellbeingforyoungscots.org/ website. The idea is to tell other young people more about wellbeing and what the Scottish Government is doing to try and make Scotland the best place in the world for children and young people to grow up.
Since then, our Dionne’s been in constant demand – speaking at conferences, helping to formulate policy and delivering presentations all over the country. As a seventeen year old schoolgirl, isn’t it all too demanding? What about exams?
“I’m in sixth year and I have exams and I also have college interviews lined up but everything is okay; I’m able to manage fine. The school is very supportive and I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it. I really do love it and it’s a fascinating subject – the work I’ve done with GIRFEC has made me think seriously about a career in social work”.
While spreading the GIRFEC message Dionne has met many high-profile public figures. Who has impressed her most?
“Aileen Campbell (above, with Dionne) was really nice. She is very enthusiastic about the work we are doing and she is also passionate about her brief. I think her attitude rubs off on other people too. She’s just had a second baby so she’s on maternity leave just now. If I had to choose just one person I would have to say Sue Bruce, who is the city council’s Chief Executive. She was really down to earth and showed genuine interest in the work I’ve been doing. She was very easy to talk to”.
And a final message to young people?
“If I could only get out one message, it would be to reassure young people that you don’t have to go through difficult things on your own – whatever problems you are facing there are people to help you. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness – that’s the most important message I would like to get out”.
Preparing and delivering presentations, speech-writing, participating in workshops, then there’s the school studies and college interviews … it’s a schedule that might floor some people, but not Dionne – Edinburgh’s very own GIRFEC ambassador!
For more information on GIRFEC go to:
http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/Young-People/gettingitright
How much money could you save by turning your thermostat down by 1°C, or not leaving your electrical appliances on standby? How much electricity can you save by washing your clothes at 30°C?
Answer correctly and you could cut £155 or more off your energy bills, and have a chance to win £100 or £50 in gift vouchers, in a prize draw being run by Home Energy Scotland.
The answers are among five useful tips included in a quiz leaflet, ‘Your chance to win – and reduce your energy bills.’
Watch out for the leaflet in Council mailings or call Home Energy Scotland free for a copy on 0808 808 2282.
Jill Fenton, Manager at Home Energy Scotland advice centre in the South East said “This quiz shows how easy it is for people to make simple changes to save energy, reduce their fuel bills and cut their carbon emissions. It’s a fun way to help people to remember.”
Home Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government to offer free, impartial advice on making your home cheaper to heat. For in-depth advice on how to reduce your energy bills or become more energy efficient, freephone Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 or text WARM to 81025.
Nikki, a young mum of two, who called Home Energy Scotland said “If I had a friend who needed help with heating their home or paying their energy bills, I’d say call Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 and find out what they can do to help”
Are you pregnant? Live locally? Come along to the
PREGNANCY CAFE
at The Haven, next to Craigroyston Primary School
Every Tuesday 10.0 – 11.30
Tea
Friendly company
Help and advice
Pregnancy information
Freebies
Baby stuff
Interested? Ask your midwife or call Jo 537 4230 Julie 332 9269 or just turn up!
Circle Scotland’s Haven Project, Craigroyston Primary School
Muirhouse Place West, EH4 4PX
