Tag: community groups

SCDC asks: is your group as effective as it could be?

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Are citizens and community groups as effective as they could be? This is the question that is being asked by the Fred Edwards Trust and Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC).

We want to find out if activists have access to the information, tools and skills they need, not just to tackle the issues that matter to them, but to challenge and address the root causes as well.

We would like to know to what extent citizens and community groups who are working on issues of social, economic and environmental justice find the space to help them critically analyse the policies, decisions and systems that affect them.

Our aim in doing this is to find out if more needs to be done to support active and effective citizenship in Scotland. We would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to respond to the questions in the link below.

Take the survey here

This survey will close on Friday 20 March 2015 

TRIM: making a difference


Awards and nominations aplenty for Muirhouse Group …

TRIM

I am happy to confirm that once again the hard work and dedication of the volunteers in TRIM (Tenants & Residents in Muirhouse) and the Community Shop have been recognised by others.

Three awards have been achieved and they will be presented by the Rt. Hon. Donald Wilson Lord Provost of Edinburgh on 4 June at the City Chambers.

The awards are –

  • Inspiring Volunteer Achievement Award 2014 for the TRIM Team
  • Inspiring Volunteer Team Award 2014 for the Community Shop volunteers managed by Robert Pearson, and
  • Inspiring Volunteer Individual Award 2014 for Robert Pearson

TRIM would publicly like to thank its volunteers in whatever role they have – its because of their hard work and dedication that TRIM is successful and able to make a difference in the community.

As well as the three Inspiring Volunteer Awards I can also tell you that Robert Pearson has been selected as one of the short-listed finalists for the Pride of Edinburgh Award. To be nominated for this award in itself is an honour but to be one of the three short-listed finalists is a real achievement so well done Robert and good luck!

The Pride of Edinburgh Award is for someone who may have supported an individual and/or a family, or who has made a significant contribution to the community. The award not only recognises, encourages and rewards people who make a difference within their community but inspires others to do the same.

The award will be made to an individual whose time, effort, support and aspirations have made a significant contribution within their community for the benefit of those who live there.

Its good to share some positive news!

Eileen Carr
TRIM

Even more funders to meet on Thursday

The funders list just grows and grows! More names have been added to an already impressive list of organisations who will be participating in Thursday’s ‘Meet the Funders’ event in St Serf’s Church Hall between midday to 3pm.

The list now reads:

Big Lottery Fund

The Melting Pot

Community Sports Hubs

Community Grants Fund

General Enquiries

Youth Business Scotland

Pass It On

Edinburgh4Community

SCVO

Bank of Scotland Foundation

Royal Bank of Scotland Foundation

Waste Aware Grants

Recycling

Business Gateway

Climate Challenge Fund

Activcity

Tenants Grants

In Kind Direct

The Big Lunch

Prime

Sported

Sportscotland

Scottish Government 2014 Commonwealth Games Legacy

Edinburgh Airport Community Fund

CSV Action Earth Grab a Grant

Royal Bank of Scotland Inspiring Enterprise

Youth Employment Scotland Fund

Voluntary Action Fund

So if you are a small organisation looking for a grant to help your work, this drop-in event is not to be missed – it’s free, informal and no booking necessary.

You’ll find St Serf’s (pictured) at the junction of Ferry Road and Clark Road.

StSerfs

 

 

Sharing the circle

North Edinburgh Community Circle

North Edinburgh Community Circle has been running for just over three years. We meet once a month at North Edinburgh Arts Centre and welcome people from the local area and all over Edinburgh to share food, friendship, ideas and resources.

In July’s meeting we had a planning session to talk about how to make the most of our connections and include new people in the circle. We also talked a lot about what people get from coming to the circle. We were amazed by what we found out!

These are some of the things people said:

‘It lifts me up coming here’ 

‘I feel included, part of things and I come out of my ‘pod’’ 

‘Everyone comes as themselves without their labels’ 

‘Everyone is on an equal level’ 

‘Even after a bad day you need to think of something positive (and the circle helps you to do that)’ 

‘It’s nice to learn people have different ways of doing things’. 

People also appreciated how welcoming the circle is and how nice it is to have somewhere to come where people are focusing on positive things. Some also said it had helped to increase their confidence in general.

In the circle meetings we eat together (food is always provided), get to know each other, and share our resources whether they are our ideas, things we don’t need anymore, or our skills. We want to create a community based on respect, diversity and recognises that we all have something to give.

We’d love to welcome more people into the circle, so if you’re interested, come along! The next meeting will be on Tuesday 13th August, North Edinburgh Arts Centre, 5.30 – 8pm. We always meet on the second Tuesday of the month so if you can’t make that, come along on 10th September.

If you have any questions or want more details contact Gillian at Edinburgh Development Group: circle@edg-sco.org or 0131 476 0522

Community Circle planning meeting
Community Circle planning meeting

 Gillian Allan

 

Thanks to YOU, NEN’s set for June print run

The NEN will appear in newspaper form again later this month thanks to the generosity of local organisations and individuals who have shown their support by advertising in the forthcoming edition.

NEN would like to thank the following for their commitment to North Edinburgh’s community newspaper:

MALCOLM CHISHOLM MSP

CRAIGROYSTON COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

FORTH & INVERLEITH LABOUR COUNCILLORS

GRANTON INFORMATION CENTRE

LIFECARE

NORTH EDINBURGH ALCOHOL INITIATIVE COLLABORATIVE

NORTH EDINBURGH ARTS

NORTH EDINBURGH CHILDCARE

NORTH EDINBURGH CREDIT UNION

NORTH EDINBURGH REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

THE PRENTICE CENTRE

ROYSTON WARDIEBURN COMMUNITY CENTRE

THE SPARTANS COMMUNITY FOOTBALL ACADEMY

THE STAND COMEDY CLUB

STEPPING STONES NORTH EDINBURGH

TOTAL CRAIGROYSTON

WEST PILTON NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

We’d also like to thank the organisations who got back in touch to say that, while they are not in a position to advertise at this time, they will consider doing so in future editions.

So thank you all for your support. 

Without it, NEN just couldn’t continue.

PS:

If your name’s not down, you’re not gettin’ in! Is your name missing from the above list? Should it be there? Do you want it to be there? If so, get in touch at northedinnews@gmail.com  but you’ll have to be quick!

Meet the Funders event in April

Meet The Funders 18 April

Is your community group looking for funding? Daft question, really – things have never been tougher for the voluntary sector. There are still some funding opportunities out there, however, and next month at the Assembly Rooms there’s a chance to meet potential sponsors.

The city council-organised Neighbourhood Partnership ‘Meet the Funders’ event takes place on Thursday 18 April from 1 – 4pm at the Assembly Rooms on George Street. An impressive group of funding providers will be exhibiting on the day, so if you’re a group looking for support this is an opportunity not to be missed. It’s completely informal and you can drop in any time – put the date in your diary now!

MeetTheFunders

Hurry – be part of Speed of Light!

Want to get involved in something a bit out of the ordinary next month? Arts charity NVA’s Speed of Light project (part of  Edinburgh International Festival and London 2012 Festival) takes place from Thursday 9 August – Saturday 1 September, and there are still a number of free places available for schools or community groups to be part of this huge event on Arthurs Seat!e members.

You could be a runner or a walking member, or groups can also take up a range of volunteer posts to experience the dynamic, behind-the-scenes environment..

What is Speed of Light?

 Cast yourself in this year’s most extraordinary performance!

 This August Edinburgh’s Arthur’s Seat is the stage for a remarkable fusion of public art and sporting endeavour. The iconic volcano is brought to life in a mass choreographed act of walking and endurance running, as part of Edinburgh International Festival and London 2012 Festival.

 As a member of the walking audience you become part of the work, carrying portable light sources set against the dark features of the hill. A mesmerising visual display unfolds each night on your ascent to the summit as hundreds of runners wearing specially designed light suits take to the intricate path networks below.

 Each individual performance is created by collective action, landscape and weather, offering a rare perspective on the cityscape, night skies and the sea and hills beyond.  NVA’s Speed of Light is one of only four national projects, commissioned as part of Legacy Trust UK’s Community Celebrations programme, which aims to build a lasting legacy from the UK’s hosting of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The wider programme extends across eight of Edinburgh’s festivals throughout 2012 with a series of blogs, lectures, events and discussions investigating environmental art, human endurance and the interior experience of running.

 How can you get involved?

 There are a variety of ways in which your group can get involved with Speed of Light. A number of free places are available for schools and community groups to take part as runners or as walking audience members. Your group could also take up volunteer posts to experience the dynamic behind-the-scenes environment of this large-scale event.
This is an excellent chance for everyone to participate in an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Arthur’s Seat illuminated at night, and to be part of Scotland’s official artistic contribution to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games celebrations.
Details of all the opportunities as well as registration forms – to be completed and returned to us – are available to download below on the Speed of Life website at www.speedoflight2012.org.uk If you would like to discuss your requirements, please just get in touch with the Speed of Light team.

Dates available for groups to run and walk:

 • Wed 22 August 2012
• Thu 23 August 2012
• Wed 29 August 2012
• Thu 30 August 2012

 Dates for volunteers:

Volunteers will be required to commit to several dates in August depending on the role undertaken. For full details subscribe to the Speed of Light mailing list and visit the Volunteer page.

 Audience tickets are now on sale at www.eif.co.uk.

Crunch time for ECRN

Community activists from across the city have been urged to attend a ‘vital’ meeting of the Edinburgh Community Representatives Network (ECRN) tonight.  The meeting will decide the future direction of the organisation which was set up to give communities a voice in decisions that affect them.

ECRN provides a forum for city activists to come together to discuss issues of common concern, but in March this year the organisation lost it’s funding for a part-time support worker.  This seriously curtailed ECRN activities and the organisation’s office bearers stood down at ECRN’s annual general meeting in July.  Since then, however, office bearers have had a change of mind and tonight’s meeting has been organised to thrash out a way ahead for ECRN.

In ‘Something Needs To Be Done’, a discussion document tabled for tonight’s meeting, ECRN chairman George Pitcher argues that the need for the organisation to continue is as great as ever, although he believes ECRN should not become a campaigning group.

Mr. Pitcher said:  “Anything which will help people, as groups or as individuals to become involved in community representation is what ECRN should be about.  Building up people’s knowledge and confidence to do things for themselves is the name of the game.  It is certainly not to give clout to ECRN, but to help give clout to the citizens of Edinburgh, whether it be Muirhouse or Marchmont, Cramond or Craigmillar, enabling them to play a vital part in defining and servicing the needs of those very communities in which they live out their lives.  My answer to the question, ‘Does ECRN need to change?’ is a big NO!”

Mr. Pitcher urges ECRN members old and new to attend tonight’s meeting, which will be held in Southside Community Centre on Nicholson Street at 7pm.  “To influence policy decisions, etc., you need to be there so come along and play a part in what could be the most vital meeting ever organised under the Edinburgh Community Representatives’ Network banner”, he said.

For further information on the ECRN or more details of tonight’s meeting call George on 0754 980 9206 or email geo.pitcher@o2.co.uk