Justice Secretary congratulates TOIL graduates

The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Justice has congratulated six young people who have completed an 18 week work placement programme.

Kenny MacAskill MSP (Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Justice) handed out completion certificates to the Training Opportunities in Lothian (TOiL) graduates at a ceremony held at the City Chambers on Monday (9 December).

He said: “I congratulate all the young people for completing this TOiL programme and TOiL and Port of Leith Housing Association for contributing to their success.

“We have made a commitment that every school leaver under the age of 19 will be offered the opportunity of a place in meaningful learning or training. One way we are meeting this commitment is through the creation of 25,000 Modern Apprenticeships each year along with £25 million Youth Employment Scotland funding to support 10,000 young people into employment.

“As the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, I am particularly aware of the importance of such opportunities in providing positive futures for young people and their communities. I wish these young people well as they take the next step towards their future career.”

TOiL offers paid six-month work training and placements. Operated by Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA), the programme was established in 2004 and since then has helped almost 450 young people aged 16 to 24 into work and training.

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive at PoLHA, said: “We are very grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice for attending our ceremony. Young people are the lifeblood of the economy and it’s imperative there are projects, such as the this, to give them the required skills to get on the career ladder.”

One of those graduating was 18 year old Ben Hughes of Drumbrae. Ben has secured permanent employment as a direct result of the programme with J. Smart’s builders on completion of an 18 week placement with the firm. He said: “I really enjoyed the TOiL programme and the courses were great. I now have a job I love.”

Also graduating on the day were Michael Bryce, Connor Kerr, Mac Cruikshank, Danielle McGill and Lauren Edwards.

John Murray, who manages TOiL, said: “Congratulations to all the young people who have graduated and we look forward to continuing to support them as they progress in their early careers.”

As well as the young people graduating, the ceremony also honoured those involved in TOiL and there were awards for Partner Organisation of the Year which went to RTL, Award of Recognition for Good practice which went to Lothian Gas and Employer of the Year which went to CCG (Scotland) respectively.

If you are a young jobseeker or employer interested in learning more about the TOiL programme, call 554 0403.

Mandela book of condolence at City Chambers

A Book of Condolence has been opened in the City Chambers for those wishing to pay their respects to Nelson Mandela. Members of the public can sign the book between 7am and 7pm until Friday (13 December) or they can leave a message through the council website.

Lord Provost Donald Wilson was the first to sign the book on Friday. He said: “I was greatly saddened to learn of Nelson Mandela’s passing last night. But I also felt a sense of relief that he can now be at rest.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends but also with the people of South Africa as they come to terms with their great loss.

“Edinburgh has a long and close association with South Africa and its struggle for equality and, of course, with Nelson Mandela himself.

“I would encourage people to sign the Book of Condolence and to reflect upon his great courage, strength and determination. His legacy and everything it represents will live on for generations to come.”

The Lord Provost has submitted a motion to this week’s council meeting calling for a report that explores how Edinburgh can create a lasting tribute to Mr Mandela.

Join Wednesday’s Breakfast Bike Ride

Once again rhis Wednesday (19 June) people will be meeting their MPs, MSPs and councillors across Edinburgh to cycle together to SPOKES’ bicycle breakfast.

Launched last year, the first Bike Breakfast saw Edinburgh residents and their political representatives bike along their cycling commuting routes to a central Edinburgh meeting at the City Chambers for the annual Spokes Bike breakfast.

This year’s organisers hope to double the number of councillors attending the rides and breakfast.

A group spokesperson said: “After a record turn out of more than 4,000 people at POP2 (Pedal on Parliament) this year it is clear our representatives have an obligation to engage with us, we are providing the perfect opportunity to have a meaningful conversation about cycling”.

For details about rides and times and how you can get involved please check our website and Facebook groups.

www,breakfastbikeride.org.uk

https://www.facebook.com/events/130759000446271/?fref=ts

This event is part of http://www.bikeweek.org.uk/

and the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling http://www.edfoc.org.uk/

For more details please contact Mike 07779527004, email breakfastbikeride@gmail.com

Breakfast Bike Ride Team

Granton Youth Centre – an ‘amazing, minted place!’

For GYC read AMP! Granton Youth Centre celebrated their tenth birthday in style at a civic reception in the City Chambers last Friday. See below for some pictures from the event – full story to follow:

Fighting Back: local campaigners take case to City Council

Council will work with campaigners to tackle poverty

The city council have pledged to work with community groups to address poverty and inequalities. Councillors made their commitment after hearing a deputation of campaigners from North Edinburgh at last month’s full council meeting.The North Edinburgh activists presented councillors with individual copies of the community’s Anti-Poverty Charter at the council meeting on 28 June. The idea for Charter was born at a community conference held in Craigroyston High School late last year, and campaigners urged councillors to adopt the Charter’s principles in a united fight against poverty and deprivation. In a joint deputation members of North Edinburgh Fights Back and North Edinburgh Women’s Group told councillors that more needs to be done at all levels of government to address social injustice and tackle the scourge of poverty.

John Mulvey told the meeting: “North Edinburgh Fights Back is definitely not ‘The Big Society’. It’s not very often that I align myself with bishops, but I can only agree with the Bishop of Canterbury when he describes David Cameron’s ‘Big Society’ as ‘aspirational waffle’.

He went on: “The demands are not unique to North Edinburgh and indeed apply to communities across Scotland. However the Charter calls upon you as the local authority to do specific things and to team up with groups like North Edinburgh Fights Back to engage with institutions like, for example, the energy companies to put pressure on them to respond positively to the aims of the Charter.” John Mulvey concluded: “Can we afford it? The real question is can we afford not to? If we can afford to spend billions and billions on a replacement for Trident, and more billions and billions on tax breaks for the rich, clearly for a decent society for all of our citizens the demands laid out in the Charter must be addressed.”

Danielle Ward of North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum demanded an end to Workfare and called for more opportunities for young people in training, education and employment while veteran campaigner Tony Delahoy made ‘five moderate requests’ on behalf of older people.

Cathy Ahmed of Muirhouse Women’s Group demanded an end to cuts that hit the poorest families hardest and there were further calls for action to tackle fuel poverty and social housing shortages.The wide-ranging charter has sections on Young People, Senior Citizens, Women, Living Wage and Employment Rights, Privatisation and Education, Fuel Poverty and Housing and Racism.

That’s quite a comprehensive shopping list, but the council agreed a motion from Forth councillor Cammy Day to ‘commend the highly successful community conference organised by the groups, specifically in regards to highlighting poverty, inequality of fuel poverty. Council welcomes the Ant-Poverty Charter and agrees to work with these groups in addressing poverty and inequalities’. Leith Walk Labour councillor Nick Gardner invited the deputation to come back in five years to see how the council has performed on it’s pledges, but it’s likely that the North Edinburgh Fights Back campaigners will be back long before then! Cathy Ahmed said after the meeting: “Five years? We could a’ be deid by then! We hope that this council will take our community’s demands seriously and act now – we’re sick of politicians’ broken promises and actions speak louder than words”.