Tag: community organisations

Programme for Government: Crisis point for voluntary sector

‘We’re not a nice-to-have sector. We’re an essential sector‘

It all feels a bit grim (writes SCVO Chief Exec ANNA FOWLIE). 

A few weeks ago, the Chancellor revealed a “black hole” in public finances across the UK and announced the end to the universal winter fuel allowance. This week the Cabinet Secretary for Finance announced significant cuts to programmes this year to enable the Scottish Government to fund public sector pay deals. 

On Wednesday, John Swinney took to the lectern in the Scottish Parliament to present his first Programme for Government, having watched them being delivered from different seats across the Scottish Parliament in the previous 24 years. 

I’m sure that was a novel experience for him, but I’m left with a sense of déjà vu. 

There is no doubt that parts of our public sector need reform. It’s been more than 13 years since the Christie Commission said that reform must empower individuals, integrate service provision, prioritise expenditure on prevention and increase shared services. But have we seen significant shifts, or have the deckchairs just been rearranged and repainted while pointing towards little ‘pilots’ as evidence of progress? 

The voluntary sector is often closest to the most vulnerable people in our society and best placed to support them, including helping them to navigate the baffling complexity of some public services. 

Hundreds of organisations are rooted in communities, supporting families to help address the First Minister’s top priority of tackling child poverty.  Indeed, the sector will be key to achieving all four of the First Minister’s priorities. 

However, with resources increasingly being pulled into the public sector, much of the voluntary sector is resigned to getting scraps from the table.  

With years of static funding, an inability to keep pace with public sector pay and constant inability to plan because of a lack of Fair Funding, it does feel like we’ve reached a crisis point.  

There is no doubt Government sometimes needs to make difficult choices, but they’re avoiding the hard ones. If we are to turn the rhetoric on addressing poverty and public service reform into reality, we can’t expect current systems and structures to deliver the radical change we need, and we can’t imagine that the public sector can do it all alone. 

Public sector staff deserve to be paid fairly, but the voluntary sector deserves to be treated fairly. We deserve more than warm words. 

We need to channel the limited resources we have to the experts. People are the experts in their own lives – and most know what they need.

Those at the front-line know how best to support them, but we need to challenge the practice that the public sector is prioritised without truly thinking about how ‘public services’ are best delivered, and by whom. 

We’re not a nice-to-have sector. We’re an essential sector. 

Choudhury: Third sector community organisations crying out for support

A Labour MSP for Lothian has rung alarm bells about the barriers to funding for small, community-based organisations.  

Foysol Choudhury yesterday (17th January) hosted a roundtable at the Scottish Parliament for third-sector community organisations to discuss the current funding model, barriers to access for smaller organisations, and what lessons could be learnt. 

 The roundtable attendees and MSPs heard from Citadel Youth Centre, Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC), EVOC, North Edinburgh Arts and The Larder.  

Mr Choudhury is Chairperson of ELREC and will be well aware of the challenges faced by third sector organisations.

Following the roundtable, Foysol Choudhury praised the work of these third-sector organisations in working so closely with, and to benefit of, local communities. He said, however, that more could be done to support these vital organisations to be more included in the funding process: 

“The third sector in Scotland is a vital contributor to both the economy and society as a whole.   

“The recent Scottish Budget announcements have left many organisations in the third sector unable to be sure of secure funding for the year ahead, directly impacting on their ability to provide vital services to communities when they need it the most post-pandemic and during the cost-of-living crisis.   

“It was made clear from today’s discussion that sustained, long-term and fair funding is needed for the sector. 

“Some third sector organisations may be smaller, but they have a big impact and they must be consulted with and represented in the Scottish budget. 

“This is especially true where they cater to minority communities and exclusion from the budget may increase inequalities for those communities.” 

Mr Choudhury says that the conversation at the table today was positive and collaborative but that the organisations were also “crying out for more support and recognition of their vital work”.  

Organisations at the roundtable raised how many smaller organisations were in competition with each other for grants and core funding, so the system should facilitate more collaboration.

Other groups also raised how smaller organisations are missing out on funding because they don’t meet criteria, or don’t have the experience and funds to hire fundraisers to make applications like many bigger organisations do.

Mr Choudhury says he will continue to build on this constructive conversation and represent small third-sector community organisations in the Scottish Parliament, pressing for more funding and consultation wherever possible.

Budgets are about spending priorities, and Labour trails both the SNP and the Conservatives at Holyrood. Elections to the Scottish Parliament will not take place until May 2026.

Of more immediate concern for voluntary sector organisations is the current budget process. The city council (a Labour-led coalition with Lib-Dems and Conservatives) is looking at further cuts as it sets it’s budget for 2024 – 25.

Councils blame the Scottish Government for funding cuts while Holyrood in turn blames the UK Government at Westminster. It’s a blame game that’s gone on for as long as I can remember, and while the politicians bicker, the poorest communities – and the charities and voluntary sector projects that support them – bear the brunt and feel the pain of service cuts.

That’s got to change – but sadly change, if it comes, will come too late for many – Ed.

Local charities left homeless as 1 Waterfront Avenue closes due to water damage

LOCAL organisations, charities and social enterprises have been left homeless due to water damage to the former Centrica building at 1 Waterfront Avenue.

The organisations lease space at Waterfront through Edinburgh Pallette, occupying floors 2 and three of the building.

Karen Black, founder and CEO of SHE Scotland, explained: “We were notified on 3rd January and it is unlikely to be fixed until next month at earliest! We have only today (Wednesday 10 January) been told we can only have limited access to small items and still no full access to our resources. 

“You can understand this had impacted negatively on local services, delivery of services, moral of staff and volunteers. At this time when the pressure on funding, staff retention, cost of living impact and now the issue with space is causing a real strain to all of us.”

Among the organisations affected are:

  • SHE Scotland
  • Scran Academy
  • Edinburgh Uniform Bank
  • North West Carers
  • Who Cares
  • Project Esperanza
  • Passion for Fusion
  • Social Print
  • Veterans Society 
  • Baby Bank
  • Sharp Stuff

The affected organisations have written to Centrica:

We are writing on behalf of a number of Edinburgh charities and small voluntary sector companies who lease space in one of your sites – 1 Waterfront Avenue, Edinburgh. You may be aware that this site has had to close due to flooding in the basement of the building. 

Fortunately, Centrica employees have been very quickly relocated to offices in another part of Edinburgh with little or no business interruption. 

Unfortunately, the other businesses who lease the space who form the signatories of this letter – all low-income charities and community interest companies – have not been supported in the same way and many face business-critical disruption. We were advised on Friday 5th January that the building would be closed until the 31st January. No priority was given to ensure access to files or materials essential for continued business operation. In fact, it was not until one week later that we were finally advised that we could enter the building accompanied to collect small items.

This closure will cause all of these voluntary sector organisations considerable business interruption and possible loss of contracts. This will directly impact the support our organisations provide for local communities, as well as risking loss of income and reputation. Not only are there business delivery consequences to this but there is a substantial human cost. The stress on our staff and volunteers of finding out that their place of work has lost its’ operating base literally overnight is considerable. 

Every tenant is now scrambling around trying to find alternative premises instead of focusing on core delivery. Delivery which is essential to the well-being of our local communities. The knock-on impacts of this are unmeasurable – businesses have been told they can have accompanied access to the building to collect ‘small items’. Where does that leave the Edinburgh School Uniform Bank, who store hundreds of uniforms to distribute to under-privileged school children or SHE Scotland who run workshops for young girls?

All these organisations have limited resources and rely on funding to survive so it is not a simple task to find alternative premises at short notice. We would like to advise you that we will be seeking compensation for business interruption and breach of lease obligations.

We feel we need to escalate this issue to a speedy resolution, and wish for Centrica to help our organisations, and the children, families and communities we support, to return to our space as quickly as possible. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

Tenants of 1 Waterfront Avenue 

Waterfront Avenue office accommodation and facilities are advertised on Edinburgh Palette’s website:

Waterfront Avenue provides flexible, open-plan office accommodation in the heart of North Edinburgh’s evolving Waterfront area. The building is located adjacent to the iconic Granton Gasworks, which is due to undergo renovation to be transformed into a tree-lined amphitheatre for cultural events.

Currently occupying floors two and three. Opening hours for the building are between 8:30am and 6pm Monday to Friday and closed on Saturday and Sunday. The building will also be closed on all public holidays.

Facilities include:

  • Security access, in addition to security desk, and full intruder alarm
  • Climate controlled heating and cooling
  • Good quality toilet facilities
  • Fully accessible with two passenger lifts and accessible toilets
  • Access to One Waterfront Café on the ground floor, serving a selection of hot and cold food and drinks
  • Numerous breakout areas, strategically located within the spacious open plan space
  • Secure cycle parking
  • On major bus routes: 24, 38, 47, 113, X37 & X47.
    Buses 8, 14, 16, X29, N16 & Skylink 200 all stop on West Granton Road which is a short 6-minute walk

Foundation Scotland has distributed over £150 million 

Major funder has supported over 12,000 organisations across the country 

Foundation Scotland, Scotland’s community foundation, has to date distributed over £150 million to more than 12,000 organisations making a difference the length and breadth of the country. 

From local food banks to counselling services, to youth groups to training funds, the major funder has awarded over 44,000 grants in total to charities, social enterprises and community groups across Scotland since they were established in 1996 

Foundation Scotland is an independent foundation that specialises in supporting charitable initiatives within local communities. 

The funds awarded to projects within Scotland’s communities are thanks to the generosity of donors who support the Foundation’s work. The breadth of donors includes individuals, families, companies, community bodies and other charities that work with the Foundation to set up and distribute charitable funds.

The Foundation connects donors’ funds with community organisations working on the ground, ensuring their support stays relevant to local circumstances to deliver real impact.  

Throughout the pandemic, the team at Foundation Scotland worked relentlessly to bring in new funds to meet the unprecedented demand from communities throughout the crisis. New donors such as The National Emergencies Trust helped the funder to distribute over £37 million in the two years that followed the first lockdown in 2020.   

Using the Foundation’s extensive knowledge and proven reach within communities, the funds were distributed quickly to where they were needed most.

Thousands of groups across Edinburgh and Lothians have received vital support from Foundation Scotland.  These include organisations such as Edinburgh Tool Library (above), Edinburgh Women’s Aid and North Edinburgh Dementia Care. 

The funder continues to work closely with communities across Scotland to identify and support the most critical needs emerging during cost-of-living crisis, working with new and existing donors to create funds for charitable groups. Being able to distribute additional funding is as much a priority now as it was throughout the pandemic.

Giles Ruck, Chief Executive at Foundation Scotland, said: “Reaching this significant milestone of over £150 million distributed to date is an outstanding achievement. For over 25 years, we’ve maintained our vision of supporting confident, thriving, resilient communities across Scotland, and we look forward to continuing this support to deliver continual impact.  

“We know that local groups are best placed to offer support as they have the knowledge, passion and determination to deliver exceptional results.    And for every community to thrive, it should be resourced to match its vision and powered by transformative funding.

“Thanks to the generosity of donors, corporates and individuals, we have collectively enabled and empowered thousands of vital local projects, such as Aberdeen Sailing Trust, to transform lives for the better.   

“We are currently experiencing overwhelming demand for funding, and we will continue to work hard to reach and connect with new donors keen to distribute funds effectively at a local level so that together we can continue to deliver extraordinary support.” 

From grantmaking to social investment opportunities, legacies to bursaries, Foundation Scotland is continually developing innovative and effective ways for donors to help Scotland’s communities thrive.

Anyone interested in supporting their work can contact: development@foundationscotland.org.uk or call 0131 524 0300. 

For more details, visit https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk

£5k Musselburgh community fund deadline extended

Local causes called on to be in with chance of landing up to £1000

THE APPLICATION deadline for a community fund launched by an independent Scottish developer has been extended to ensure causes in and around Musselburgh don’t miss the chance to make their case.

The fund from Dundas Estates, which totals £5,000, will be distributed in £1,000 segments to five charities or community initiatives local to Musselburgh – whether it is to help them renovate a facility, secure a defibrillator or get a project off the ground and providing essential support, education or resources.

Craig Fairfoull, Head of Sales and Marketing at Dundas Estates, said: “We want to showcase this fantastic funding opportunity to as many amazing causes as possible as we know this kind of money is vital to charitable groups.

“When we first launched the fund at the start of summer, a few organisations might have missed out with it being a particularly busy period of time. Given the fund will provide lasting benefits to the surrounding community, the only option for us was to extend the deadline.

“Musselburgh already has a thriving and tight knit community with a number of local groups doing excellent work within the town, and this is something we are very keen to support.

“The cost of living crisis is bringing fresh challenges for good causes to navigate – so we hope this injection of funds will come at the perfect time for the five final recipients.”

In promoting and administering the fund, the housing developer is working closely with Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council (MICC) to help ensure worthy causes at the heart of the community are able to benefit.

Interested applicants can apply online via:

 https://www.dundas.co.uk/musselburgh-community-fund 

with applications now closing on Sunday 31st July.

The roll out of the fund comes as the Livingston-based firm launched its 140-home Wireworks development in the town, forming part of its pledge to deliver lasting benefits to the local area and in addition investing section 75 contributions of up to £400,000 towards schooling and infrastructure.

Dundas Estates, through a partnership with Tesco, East Lothian Council and NHS Lothian, acquired The Wireworks site after receiving planning permission to regenerate the former Brunton Wireworks site and neighbouring land in 2008.

New Community Hub launches at former Debenhams in Ocean Terminal

The former Debenhams store at Ocean Terminal has temporarily re-opened its doors to welcome community groups across Leith and the capital, as a new social enterprise delivered under the umbrella of the Living Memory Association.

The Wee Hub brings life to the empty unit while its future is decided.

For the next few months, The Wee Hub will occupy the ground and first floor of the old department store. As well as bringing in a variety of arts, drama and sports organisations to make use of the space, the Living Memory Association has constructed areas dedicated to dance and theatre, children’s play, crafts, a library and a ‘wee sit and knit’ (amongst many others) to bring people of all ages together.

It will also be the base for several community projects including the Wee Crowd of Folk, where anyone can dress or decorate one of the many available mannequins, the Wee Reekie, which invites people to paint where they live and the Wee Heritage Centre.

Whilst the wider shopping centre at Ocean Terminal is going through planning consents to revitalise the centre and introduce a mixed use offering in the longer term, this empty space of over 90,000 sq ft has been made available by the centre owners for community groups to use and enjoy free of charge.

Some of the community groups to take advantage of the new Hub space include:

  • Sikh Sanjog – local charity will host a mural project offering insight into the Sikh Community and a powerful response to the global pandemic along-with a celebration event
  • Salle Holyrood Fencing Club – intend to introduce schools and other groups to the sport and have three Team GB members in the team that will deliver group and individual lessons
  • Citadel Youth Centre – offers a wide range of social, recreational, and educational activities for children and young people in Leith and plans to use space as a separate breakout area to its main location on Commercial Street
  • Thistle Model Makers – a group of railway modellers based in Edinburgh will use part of the ground floor to display some of their exhibition layouts set in Britain, Europe and the US
  • Street Soccer – already located within OT its facilities will extend to use the hub to continue its mission to inspire and empower young people through football starting with an Easter event bringing their Hexagol to the centre, a fully-inclusive mobile sports arena, allowing players of all ages to practice and play in a safe environment
  • Think Circus – their talented team of performers and creators will hold a variety of engaging and entertaining workshops and performances to bring people together
  • Tinderbox – will use the space to continue to support young people to gain new skills, confidence and a sense of possibility through music and arts.
  • Edinburgh Festival Carnival – will display the vibrant carnival costumes for 2022 as well as use the hub as a making space for artists and community participants
  • Giraffes About Town – The Wee Hub provides studio space for artists painting their giraffe sculptures for Edinburgh Zoo’s sculpture trail due to hit the streets of Edinburgh this summer.

Miles Tubb, project co-ordinator of The Living Memory Association said: “Our new community hub provides a much-needed lifeline to groups on the back of Covid that require additional and flexible space to support their needs.

“Whilst this is a temporary facility for us to use and enjoy, it is fantastic that Ocean Terminal has had the drive and determination to repurpose the unit for the community, rather than leaving it to stand empty.”

Michelle Macleod, Centre Manager at Ocean Terminal, added: “As a team we are excited to welcome this incredibly varied mix of sports and arts community groups to the centre.

“As our community opens up again post COVID, these organisations will bring new energy to the centre and create more reasons beyond our current retail and leisure offering for new and existing audiences to come to OT.”

A dedicated website for The Wee Hub will be launched shortly detailing the activity schedule for the groups, as well as upcoming special performances.

The Hub is keen to hear from organisations across the city who may want to use the space for one-off events and would welcome contact to comhist@googlemail.com

Heart of Newhaven: February News

In our last newsletter, we warned you that we may not be in the building until well into March, but we’re into February now and we’re full of optimism: after all, that’s only a few weeks away!

You may have wondered about the apparent abandonment of the now vacant school and we had hoped to put some publicity up on the railings to bring the local community up to date with what is really happening in case they are not connected digitally or have been confused by erroneous publicity elsewhere.

This, for various reasons has not happened yet, but rest assured we are moving in soon and we’re raring to go and keen to welcome you all inside as soon as we can.

Meanwhile, while we wait for the keys, we’ve had successful site visits to check on what’s been left behind from the school move, our architects are busy on our “meanwhile use” plans and checks have been carried out on the state of the building and a list of necessary repairs and works, has been drawn up.

Now for some updates.

Restoration Forth –

An exhibition is to be held at the John Hope Gateway at the Botanic Gardens February 12 – April 24th. All the community hubs, of which we are one of six, are or will be exhibiting boards promoting what we are each offering.

We are excited to be participating in the project, as it supports each of our three themes, culture and heritage, learning and enterprise and an improvement in wellbeing, linked together by generations working together.

Once we are open, we will be hosting citizen science sessions and exhibitions to raise environmental awareness along the Forth Coastline, including wall hangings, craft creations, pop up banners and printed material plus musical events to compliment the exhibition – something for all ages!

Work on our friendship benches has resumed, with youngsters from the Citadel project beginning work on the decoration next weekend with help from local artist Johnathan Elders.

Watch out for the benches: they might be among the first things we move onto the site!

Our collaboration with the Pilmeny Development Project goes from strength to strength with our Friendship Group increasing in numbers and eliciting some wonderful feedback.

“I have been virtually housebound for the last two years. It is wonderful to get out of the house and just chat to so many people,” says one participant.

If you’d like to get involved, you can email Norma Johnson, our HoNC trustee liaison for this at norma_johnston@hotmail.com.

We wouldn’t have got this far without help and support from the community so do check out our Partners page on the website.

That will give you an idea of all the wonderful partners, individuals and organisations who have generously given their money and their time to support the project as well as acknowledging the many and various grants we have been awarded by different funding bodies.

ASH Scotland: small grants available

Our small grants are proving to be very popular and applications have been rolling in. We only have a limited number of grants to give.

If your organisation would like help to improve people’s health and wellbeing by addressing smoking, you can apply at:

http://ashscotland.org.uk/smallgrants.

Refugee projects in Scotland awarded £2.8 million

Organisations and community groups working to support refugees in Scotland will share £2.8 million through a new grant scheme.

In total, 56 projects will receive funding to deliver initiatives designed to help New Scots settle in their adopted communities by promoting employability, education, health and social and cultural connections.

Grants awarded include:

  • £104,615 for employment and training support for refugees in the West of Scotland
  • £72,930 to help Arabic speakers in Dundee, Fife and Clackmannanshire access certification to work in the Scottish construction industry
  • £114,987 to improve mental health and reduce loneliness and social isolation of refugees and separated children in Edinburgh
  • £23,075 for English language learning (ESOL) in Midlothian that focuses specifically on preparing learners for the workplace

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “We are committed to supporting the integration of asylum seekers into our communities from day one, not just when leave to remain has been granted.

“The funding and development of these projects will support our aim to have cohesive, connected and multi-cultural communities where people can access services and be supported into employment and education.

“Scotland has a long history of welcoming asylum seekers and refugees from all over the world. In re-building their lives they help make the country stronger, more compassionate and more successful for everyone.”

This project is part funded by the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and is part of the New Scots Refugee Integration Delivery Project. It is led by the Scottish Government in partnership with COSLA, Scottish Refugee Council and the UNESCO Chair at the University of Glasgow.

Scottish Refugee Council CEO Sabir Zazai said: “There is such a strong will in Scotland to support newcomers and make people feel welcome. Equally strong is the desire from refugee-led groups to make a contribution and use their skills and expertise to create flourishing, well integrated communities.

“This funding will build on all of this and allow groups and organisations to strengthen and deepen their work with people seeking safety in Scotland.”

COSLA’s Community Wellbeing spokesperson, Councillor Kelly Parry said: “I am thrilled so many local authorities have secured funding to implement a wide range of exciting projects aimed at enhancing refugee integration.

“From improving refugee employability to developing tailored mental health support for young asylum seekers, the projects being funded are both ambitious in their scope and innovative in their approach.”

UNESCO Chair at the University of Glasgow, Alison Phipps, said: “The New Scots policy is regarded with acclaim internationally, modelled on human rights and dignity for all.

“It is especially heartening to see refugee led projects at the forefront and to know that new and expanded work will take place across Scotland.”